The Dementor Representative
by Professor Majora
Summary: What if there was something beyond? What if Chakra and Witchcraft were only two branches? What would happen if someone could transcend the boundaries? What if that someone had both Light and Darkness in their hearts? What would they do? This is the story of the Dementor Representative, the Vessel of True Magic. FemNaruto/Yuri Harem, Godlike, Dementor!Naruto, lots of bashing, gore
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello there, Prof. Majora here. This is my first ever fanfiction that I have ever written. Hopefully you will enjoy this one. For this one, I offer you a Naruto, and Harry Potter Crossover that I think has not been done yet. Regardless, I hope this story will be to your reading pleasure._  
**

 ** _Now, a few disclaimers and explanations:_**

 ** _While I list this as Naruto and Harry Potter Crossover; this story will more so be a Naruto story with strong Harry Potter elements included. There are no characters from the original books present here, and if they are it will mostly be present. The Magic Creatures and Magic itself from the Potter Universe will be present, as well as various artefacts. This story takes place in the Naruto World, with other crossovers mixed into it. The Harry Potter World existed before this one, but was destroyed through events I will describe later on.  
_**

 ** _Furthermore, this fanfiction will also include several other crossovers as well, including League of Legends and Legend of Zelda, among others that I may include. In fact, to some degree one could argue that this is more so a crossover between Naruto & League of Legends, considering that I will spend a big chunk of the plot with those characters._**

 ** _However, keep this in mind - this story will primarily deal with matters relating to the Potter Universe magic. Naruto will be looking for various forms of Magic, and try to find what is left of the ancient Wizarding World while also adding it to the expanding Magical World Naruto will be enveloping herself in. Furthermore, considering that Naruto will essentially become heavily involved with Dementors and other magical creatures; I deem this as a Naruto & Harry Potter Crossover, with League of Legends being a very close third crossover._**

 ** _Also, on that note - this story will contain not only a female!Naruto, but also a darker!Naruto, so expect her to be OOC from the original. Alongisde that, she will also be Beyond Godlike. There will also be other clichés in this story that include Sharingan, EMS Sharingan, Rinnegan, Rinne-Shraingan, Chakra and Magical-based techniques, Konoha Bashing, Council Bashing, Elder Bashing, Sasuke Bashing, and some other characters will be bashed as the story develops._**

 ** _Other disclaimers include Yuri/Futa Lemons, Limes, Swearing, Lots of Gore, as is fitting of Dark Naruto._**

 ** _Pairings: Yuri Harem, Shinobi girls as well as League of Legends Girls, among others. You will see as it goes along._**

 ** _Without furher ado, let's get going:_**

"Speech"

 _'Thought'_

 _"Dementor Speech_ "

 **"Demon Speech"/Spell or Jutsu  
**

 _ **'Demon Thought'**_

 **The Dementor Representative**

Chapter 1

The definition of the Sound of Life will vary depending on who you ask to define said sound. Some would define it as the sound of people's chatter and children's laughter when they run down the street. Others would be more inclined to refer to the noises of birds and insects in the middle of trees of the Forest. Then there are those in Konohagakure who would state that the sound of life is the sound of two fists locking together in combat. This would not be too surprising in a Shinobi village after all, even one as seemingly peaceful as Konoha.

If one was to ask the young child sitting in the small restaurant, Ramen Ichiraku; he would probably say that the sound of cooking a bowl of ramen, or the sound of slurping up the broth. Of course, the child would not care about what this Sound of Life discussion was all about, as he would be more concerned with the seventh bowl of ramen that he had just ordered and devoured, before it even had time to be set down on the stand itself.

"You know, I still cannot believe that you are capable of devouring over five bowls and not get sick", said the young waitress, who barely looked a day over thirteen. She rubbed was leaning on one hand as she was staring at the blonde, spiked-haired child in front of her.

"Well Ayame-nee, I just can't help myself. And if I keep enjoying the food – what is the harm?" The child inquired with a ridiculously large grin. The waitress Ayame sighed loudly at the boy's stubbornness and rubbed some her brown hair out of her face. All of a sudden, a slightly hefty, but cheerful man came out from the back with some boxes of freshly delivered ingredients.

"Don't discourage him, Ayame! Naruto here is our favourite customer, and I refuse to allow our favourite customer to walk away without filling up his stomach first. Go on Naruto – eat as much as you can", exclaimed the kind restaurant owner, Teuchi Ichiraku.

Naruto's smile seemed to grow even bigger, as he somehow during the conversation, managed to start devouring his eighth bowl. Teuchi and Ayame just smiled and shook their heads. One gets used to Naruto's quirks and strange habits with time. As Teuchi went to take care of the newly delivered ingredients; they were not going to put away themselves. Naruto kept slurping up his eighth bowl with an expression of pure delight on his face.

As he was about to finish the last of his delicious noodle soup, or as he called it 'Food of the Gods'; Naruto slowed down, and turned his attention to Ayame. The girl in question, feeling Naruto's gaze, turned around to see his blue eyes, normally covered up with sheer joy, now holding a degree of uncertainty.

"Ayame-chan, can I ask you a question?" Naruto's voice didn't carry the full enthusiastic potency it always carried. Ayame put her hands in front her on the stand and her face adopted a warm smile towards Naruto, in hopes of calming down whatever form of insecurity he felt.

"Of course, Naruto-kun; you can ask me anything", she replied with a gentle tone, hoping to make him feel more comfortable asking whatever it is he has on his mind. Naruto started looking down into his bowl, almost as if trying to look anywhere else but into her eyes.

"Well… um… what would…" Naruto's voice was almost so small that one could have mistaken it for a whisper. Ayame thought that she probably would not have heard it, if not for the fact that her fullest attention was centred straight at the boy. After a few moments of hesitation, Naruto noticed Teuchi return, and seemed to snap himself out of his mood and cover it with an awkward smile. "You know what, forget it – it's nothing important anyway. It's getting late anyway, and I should probably get home", he exclaimed with an equally awkward chuckle, while subconsciously tugging on the sleeves of his worn and torn long-sleeved shirt. The shirt looked about one size too big, and its green colours and red spiral had faded a bit from use. Ayame pouted, as she knew that Naruto was clearly hiding something. Ayame sighed loudly, as she knew that once Naruto got like this; very little, if anything, could get him to open up.

"Well, if you say so. Just know that that you can come to me whenever there is something you want to talk about." Just because Ayame was letting Naruto go for now; it didn't mean that she wasn't going to offer the olive branch for Naruto to take whenever he needed to unload whatever was bothering him.

Sadly, that was not going to happen today, or any day soon for that matter.

Naruto nodded and gave her his biggest grin yet. Afterwards, Naruto grabbed his bowl and finished the last of his ramen, before bringing out his beloved toad-shaped wallet, affectionately referred to as 'Gama-chan'. He was about to offer what little money he had, when he felt Teuchi place his hand on top of Naruto's. Naruto looked confused up at Teuchi's face, which was adorned with that soft smile only he seemed to be able to create.

"It's okay Naruto – today, it's on the house", Teuchi said with the same gentle tone that Ayame used. "Just make sure to come back whenever you want to. Remember that our door is always open for you." Teuchi's words made Naruto's confused gaze turn into a small smile.

"Thank you, Teuchi-oji", Naruto softly responds. The small smile Naruto carries is nowhere close the size of any of his previous grins, but this small smile seemed all the more powerful than thousands of those previous grins. Naruto then jumps off his stool and leaves the small establishment. After she is sure that Naruto is out of hearing distance; Ayame turns towards Teuchi with a stern glare.

"Tou-san, you stopped Naruto-nii from opening up to me. Didn't you hear our conversation?" Ayame puts her hands on the sides of her hips while tapping her foot at her father, for ruining Naruto's moment to try to open up.

"Yes, I did", Teuchi responded with a sombre tone. "I heard his tone, and I knew he wasn't ready to open up. He wasn't going to open up, and if he did – it wouldn't have been truly honest. We can only help him with whatever it is, as long as he is honest about it."

Ayame looks down, with a forlorn expression regarding the boy who had grown on them ever since they met him about three years ago. Ayame leaned against the counter. "I know; I just wished he would open up to us more… it feels like we are everything he has." While Ayame muttered the last part to herself, Teuchi could still make out what she said. The sad thing was; he strongly suspected that she wasn't that far from the truth.

Teuchi had known Naruto for almost four years now. He could still remember when Naruto, a skinny little blonde child, shyly peeked into the restaurant while still standing in the rain. Teuchi also remembered the sheer surprise when Teuchi asked Naruto to come in, away from the rain. At first, Naruto was scared, and ran off, but came back shortly afterwards with a curious and confused reaction. Teuchi also remembered the sheer smile on Naruto's face when he got his first bowl of Ramen. He acted like he was given the key to Paradise, all over a simple bowl of noodles and broth. There was something so precious and yet so heart-shattering at seeing that smile.

"I know what you mean, sweetie. I want to know what is bothering him just as much as you do. Sadly, we cannot do anything until he tells us himself. But eventually, he will be back, and he will tell us what is bothering him. After all, he is our number one customer for a reason", Teuchi exclaimed to his daughter with a feeling of optimism that was so thick; not even Tsunade could destroy it with her immense strength.

Ayame smiled and nodded. Her father was right. Eventually, Naruto would come forth with the truth about whatever it is that is bothering him. Naruto knew that he could trust in his beloved Nee-chan. No matter what it was, it couldn't be anything bad enough to alienate him from them. Eventually Naruto would realise this, and come to Ramen Ichiraku, ready to open up about his problems. And she would be there to hear it all; no matter how long it would take.

 **-Meanwhile -**

Naruto was walking down the street. The murmurs and whispers about him were all too clear in his ears. He was well-aware what the main populous thought of him. After all, the beatings, assaults and insults made it pretty damn clear of what the villagers thought about him. Naruto snorted to himself. All of this was because of their reluctance to move on from the past, and choose to hate Naruto rather than embrace him. Way to preach the whole "Will of Fire" thing.

Naruto entered an abandoned apartment building. Or at least it looked abandoned. The truth was that at the age of four; Naruto was thrown out of the Orphanage where he had lived since he was born. Not like that place was missed by Naruto in any regard, as the caretakers were terrible to him. They would not feed him, they never allowed him to play with any toys and they would keep him isolated in the attic with only a moth-eaten blanket to keep him warm. Not to mention that they allowed the other children to bully him, and whenever Naruto would fight back, then he was suddenly the big bad villain.

In theory it wouldn't have mattered that he was thrown out the orphanage. However, the main difference was that he was thrown out during a winter storm. Naruto spent three days in that blizzard, and it didn't help that on the third day a mob gathered around him and started to torment the young child. Then they simply left his bloodied body in the freezing snow, and he remained there for so long that his blood had frozen onto the ground and his skin. If it wasn't for that grey-haired Anbu; Naruto would not had been alive today. He was rushed into the hospital, and got treatment for his severe injuries, which included broken ribs, multiple lacerations and multiple traumas from blunt instruments, alongside hypothermia and frost bites. After being treated for the damages, with the word 'treated' being used lightly; the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, managed to get Naruto an apartment of his own. Though not only would all of the other inhabitants of the apartment complex suspiciously move away shortly after Naruto moved in, but his apartment was also constantly the target for vandalism.

Naruto soon stood before the door leading into his apartment. The words 'BE GONE, DEMON FREAK' was written with bold, red paint.

"Why is it always red", Naruto mused in his own mind. After defusing the multitude of traps that covered the door; Naruto went inside the small apartment. It was only a two room on a very small surface. It was big enough to have him, a bed, a table and a refrigerator comfortably. If he tried to fit anything else into the apartment, then he would not have been able to move around comfortably. And even if the walls had cracks and were slowly falling apart, Naruto could not deny that it was still identified as his home; if only because of the crude marks on the door.

To think that all of this happened because of a simple giant, nine-tailed Fox the size of the Hokage Monument. Yes, despite what the Third Hokage believed; Naruto was very much aware of the Kyuubi's existence. It wasn't too hidden after all, because when people scream after you and beat you up, screaming about you being a 'demon' and the 'Kyuubi Brat'; one tends to make the connection.

Almost eight years ago, on October 10th; the Kyuubi attacked Konoha. The Nine-Tailed Fox ravaged and destroyed a lot of Konoha's buildings and businesses, and killed thousands of people in its destructive wake. It was without a doubt a tragedy. And on that day, the Fourth Hokage made the ultimate sacrifice, and gave his own life to kill the Kyuubi. At least, that is what the history books would try to make you believe. However, Naruto knew what actually happened, as he had read in a book regarding the demonic and supernatural, that Bijuu cannot be killed in the traditional sense. That means that something else happened that night he was born, and she quickly pieced together what happened. On that night, the Fourth Hokage didn't kill the Kyuubi; he sealed it away within a newly born child. That child was Naruto Uzumaki.

Now, upon doing this, the Fourth Hokage had done this with the hope that Naruto would be seen as a hero for keeping the Kyuubi imprisoned. Sadly, it would seem the Fourth Hokage overestimated his Will of Fire, and likewise underestimated the hypocrisy of his subjects. At some point, the Third Hokage revealed to the Council that he contained the fox, as he had to tell the council of what actually happened, as keeping it secret might only be worse in the long run. As soon as that piece of information was revealed, the Civilian Council was screaming and demanding for Naruto's death. At that point, Hiruzen declared the revelation of Naruto's Jinchuuriki status an S-Rank Secret, and forbid any parent from revealing it to the younger generation. However, someone in the council felt it was their sworn duty to protect Konoha, and leaked the information regarding Naruto's status as the Kyuubi, and not as its Jinchuuriki. Of course, said person was executed promptly after revealing said information, but the damage was done. This revelation would lead to a chain of events, consisting of neglect, abuse and even downright torture, just because Naruto had the unfortunate luck to be born on that fateful day.

Naruto started rubbing his shoulder as he remembered the kunai that had been thrown straight into his shoulder blade this very morning. Naruto stood in front of his mirror, took off his shirt and stared at himself. Naruto was not really a short boy, but he was not exactly tall either. He was of a somewhat average height. But he was however underweight, as one could see the ribs poking out whenever he removed his shirt. Naruto looked at his piercing blue eyes and his wild, spiky blond hair that reached down to his neck. He also looked at the three lines on each cheek resembling whiskers. The young child scoffed; how on earth would he not have realised that he had the fox within him with all of the clues that surround him daily; from the words of the villagers, to the clues staring him quite literally in the face, every time he looks himself in the mirror? It was ridiculous.

Now, one would think that the aspect of knowing that a giant, millennia old, demonic Kitsune sealed within your belly would scare and destroy someone mentally. Well, not Naruto. He was well aware of that there was a difference between him and the fox. Besides, he honestly did not mind the fox. Sure, he could deal without the Fox Hunts that happened on his birthdays, when the villagers would form mobs and try to 'finish what the Fourth started', but that wasn't really something the Kyuubi asked for. Ironically, it was because of those mobs that Naruto appreciated the fox. Even if he had never talked to the Kyuubi; Naruto was grateful to the fox for helping him heal all the injuries the villagers caused him. Besides, Naruto had always tried to form his own opinion about things around himself. Naruto had learned early that not everything was at it seems.

Naruto looked once more in the mirror, and stared at his upper body. There were severe signs of his malnourishment, as he could see his ribs. However, it was the bandages wrapped around his chest that caught Naruto's full attention of the painful reminder of the very secret "he" had kept hidden from all those around "him".

Yes, Naruto was in fact a girl. She had always been one since birth. The only one who knew the truth was the Third Hokage, as he was the one had hid her gender in the first place, with the intention of protecting her. The Third revealed this particular secret to her when she was four years old, after she was thrown out of the orphanage, and he got her this apartment. He revealed that because of the villagers' angry disposition against her, and how little girls are sometimes in more danger than little boys; he felt the need to take precautions against such things happening. He stated that she would have to keep hiding her gender until she graduated and became a kunoichi, after which point he believed that she would be strong enough to reveal her real gender. She never revealed to him that she always knew that she was a girl, and was more surprised that it was meant to be a secret. Naruto figured out later on that somehow; she wasn't affected by the henge Hiruzen-jiji put on her.

Now, while most would blame the Kyuubi for being the source of all the pain one goes through in life; the truth was that she had never blamed the Fox for what had happened to her. The loneliness, the abuse and all of the torment Naruto had faced her whole life, was all because of the civilians who were blinded by prejudice, as well as the shinobi, who should damn well know about the difference between the prisoner and the warden. All of her attackers were the ones to blame in her mind, as they were projecting their frustrations and anger on to her, and felt justified for doing so. The Kyuubi was never once involved in any of those attacks. The only thing the Fox was guilty of was attacking the village almost eight years ago, but she always felt that there were more to that story than what was seen at first glance.

In fact, there were only two things related to Kyuubi that she technically blamed him for, and even then – it was mildly blaming him at most.

The first thing is the reason for her carrying the bandages around her chest in the first place. The Kyuubi is such an immense force to be reckoned with, beyond anything anyone could imagine. Because of this, the Kyuubi had managed, knowingly or not, to provide Naruto with a source of energy that gave her strength and even development which helped substitute the lack of food in Naruto's life. Despite Naruto's malnourishment, she was still of an average height, when she actually would have been immensely shorter because of said malnourishment. Unfortunately, this advanced development also made other things develop, perhaps a bit prematurely. Naruto was starting to develop breasts. She was only turning eight within a few months, and she was already developing breasts.

The reason this bothered her was because she was fully aware of what Hokage-jiji meant when he spoke about how little girls could be treated worse than little boys. She lived in the Red Light District after all, and you don't live in the Red Light District for close to four years without picking up a few things about the seedier elements of the world. Naruto was well aware what sex was from an early age, and that most men really liked to have it… even if sometimes the women did not.

Naruto remembered when she was outside one evening, at the age of five; when she all of a sudden heard a woman scream. She followed the noise and saw an older shinobi pin a teenage kunoichi, sixteen at most, with purple hair; being pinned up against a wall by a Chuunin with a syringe laying by his feet. Naruto was well aware of prostitutes that would have sex with men that would sell their services to men who paid enough money. However, she had only ever seen the prostitutes carry expressions of boredom, or faked joy – never that of rage or fear. Naruto, while not knowing what this action really was, immediately understood that this was something wrong. She charged the Chuunin, and attacked him with a strength she never even knew she had. It was like she was in a daze, while unleashing something within her that was built up from all the darkness the villagers had thrown at her. Afterwards, when she was done – the Chuunin was laying on the ground, a mass of broken bones that was twitching and barely making a groan. Naruto briefly looked at the shocked would-be-victim, before Naruto ran away. She was afraid that the purple-haired teenager was going to attack her for attacking someone else, even if she had just saved the kunoichi from a terrible fate, and thus completely ignored the shouts from the teenage girl asking her rescuer to wait.

It was later when Naruto learned what that disgusting action truly was. Naruto did not wish for that to happen to her, even to someone she considered an enemy. So she was aware that by turning more womanly; there would be an increasing risk that this abominable action would be included in her torture regiment, all for the sake of taming the demon no doubt. Though, then again; she was also aware of how little boys would also be a victim of this abominable action, if they were pretty enough. Naruto sighed in hopelessness at the thought of said action occurring. She just hoped that they would find doing that to a demon too dirty to even consider it, but she wasn't too enthusiastic.

The second thing she blamed the Kyuubi for was not really his fault, but she couldn't deny that he had some involvement in this, even indirectly; Naruto's distrust of Hiruzen Sarutobi. And this one really hurt Naruto, because she didn't want to distrust Hokage-jiji. He was always nice to her. He would come by every now and then to the orphanage and visit, and when she was thrown out he managed to get this apartment for her. It wasn't a luxurious suite at a Hotel or anything, but it was certainly a home for Naruto to have, even if she was alone. It was much more than anything that anyone had ever given her before. And still, the old man would come and visit her, and she could talk to him about her with any issues she may have. Hokage-jiji was even so nice to offer ramen every now and then and money for her to support herself.

However, the reason Naruto started developing trust issues with the man who she has considered her grandfather for years was not because of something he has done, but rather what he hasn't done. Hiruzen kept secrets. Naruto remembered when she had figured out that she was the container of the Kyuubi, or Jinchuuriki as it is called, about a week after she had turned seven. That birthday she had endured one the worst beatings as of yet, and had to be in the hospital for at least four days. If it wasn't for the Kyuubi, she would have probably been there for at least four months. Afterwards, Naruto had figured out that she was in fact the container of the Bijuu in question. It wasn't hard to connect the dots when the villagers gave them to her in their blind rage. She had previously asked Hiruzen-jiji on a few occasions why the villagers hated her so much, at which point he would simply shrug and confess that he didn't know. After finding out that she was the Kyuubi, Naruto realised that Hiruzen probably knew all along. So she asked one more time when she met him, and once again his answer was:

 _"I am sorry, Naruto-chan. I don't know why the villagers hate you so much. I wish I did, so that I could find a way to make them stop."_

It was the same answer as before. It was in fact too similar, almost like he had rehearsed it. She strongly suspected that he was aware all along, and simply didn't tell her. Now, Naruto was very intelligent and perceptive, but also mature for her age. She had to be, considering the life she was enduring. As such, she figured that Hokage-jiji simply didn't say anything because he didn't want to put that burden on Naruto's shoulders. Some may argue that it would have been better to tell her, so she knew what she was dealing with, but in the end; Naruto was confident that Hiruzen had no sinister intentions when not telling her. After all, she was still considered a young girl, and even if she was incredibly intelligent; there was not guarantee that she would be able to handle the news of an Ancient Demon being sealed within a seal on her stomach.

However, Naruto couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to things than what Hiruzen was actually saying. She knew that the position of Hokage would make you the absolute head of the village, with the Fire Daimyo being the only one who could supersede your decisions. This means that not only was Hiruzen the highest authority of the village, but she was also aware that he knew the inner workings of the village. So unless there was something going on behind the scene, which could be possible considering the Village Council; she doubted that Hiruzen was completely truthful. If Hiruzen was keeping one secret, why couldn't he be keeping another?

This made Naruto cringe, as she felt she was not really any better than Hiruzen. She was so close to revealing the truth about her gender to Ayame today. As she was developing, she longed for having a friend who was also a girl; someone who could help her with all of her issues that would come around with being a developing woman. True, she did consider the shy Hinata Hyuuga a friend, as after she had saved her from those bullies; Hinata had been very nice towards Naruto. She had been incredibly shy and would blush all the times, but she was still truly nice. All Hinata needed was a boost of confidence, something Naruto would gladly assist with. Naruto had tried to spend more time with her, but they had not been able to spend much time together as of yet. She felt a connection to the girl for sure, but she couldn't open up when those bloody overprotective bodyguards that would always stand around. Today, she had planned to open up to Ayame for the first time, as she and Teuchi-oji were two of the few people she genuinely trusted. However, she pulled out in the last moment, and didn't have the guts to reveal that she had kept her very gender and identity secret. She knew deep down that neither Ayame nor Teuchi would do anything, as being a girl really changed very little of whom Naruto is.

However, it was instinctual for Naruto to hide who she really was. It was the same reason she put on a façade and pretended to be a bumbling, cheerful and happy idiot with a penchant for pranks. True, she did pull pranks because she genuinely enjoyed pranks, and it was also a way for her to get back at some of the villagers, but that was the only part of the mask she had created for herself, which was actually true. It was safer to pretend to be incompetent than to actually show her intelligence; that way the villagers would not suspect that the demon was growing too strong. Of course, it was not like the villagers had already tried everything they could to make sure that Naruto ended up an imbecile, by providing no source of education for the young girl, and trying to deprive her of any intellectual stimulation. If it wasn't for the combined effort of Hiruzen, Ayame and Teuchi, along with her vast intellect; Naruto was confident that she would not be able to outsmart the ramen she loved to eat.

And that was another reason this deception hurt so much for Naruto. She was deceiving Teuchi-oji and Ayame-chan, the two people closest connected to ramen itself. She lied over ramen. Now, this didn't hurt her just because ramen was delicious (which it definitely was), but because of what Ramen meant to Naruto. She remembered when she was first introduced to Teuchi and his delicious ramen. It might have seemed strange that she was so happy by the simple offering of a noodle dish, but to Naruto it was so much more. For the lonely orphan, she had never really been given anything by anyone before. Naruto had smelt something delicious coming from the restaurant, and peeked inside; longing to have a taste, but expected to be thrown out if she ever asked. So to get not just get a dish of that food, but for free; meant the whole world to Naruto. To her, ramen didn't just become her favourite food; it became a symbol of friendship and acceptance. Hence why it hurt so much that she couldn't find the strength to push through her trust issues, and tell Teuchi and Ayame about her real issues, especially since she felt that Hiruzen was not completely trustworthy himself. Maybe she never would find the courage to open up and be honest. Maybe it was better to lie-

Naruto's eyes snapped open at this thought. She immediately slapped herself across the face. What kind of thinking was that?! Was this the same girl who desired to become Hokage, in order to become something much greater in order to prove that she could push through the boundaries people around her had set? No, it wasn't. She was not going to let those miserable villagers ruin the friends she had made for herself. She decided that tomorrow at noon; she was going to go straight to the Ichirakus and confront her worst fears. She was going to let someone in. With this determination in mind, Naruto went to her bed, and lied down to get some sleep, filled with determination of how she was going to confront her fear. She fell asleep, with a confident smirk, not knowing that today was the last time she would see the Ichirakus for several years.

 **-In the depths of Konoha-**

Within a secret underground base, an elderly man was sitting all by himself. His black and shaggy hair was hanging over the bandage that was covering his right eye. He was dressed in a white shirt underneath a black high-collared robe. This was Danzo Shimura, one of elders on the Konoha Council. He was sitting at his desk within his secret chambers, looking over several pieces of paper regarding his organisation, Root. Even though Hiruzen had ordered Danzo to disband Root, because of the underhanded ways Danzo handled things; he had kept it operating, just without the Third Hokage's permission or knowledge. Even if Hiruzen suspected that Danzo had not actually disbanded Root; he couldn't prove it as long as Danzo was careful. To Danzo, it didn't really matter, because he felt that Root was necessary for the survival of Konoha and for it to truly become the greatest village among all of the existing shinobi villages. In the end, Danzo was a true patriot and knew what was necessary for the survival of Konoha, even if no one else could see it. He would not let the sentimental values Hiruzen held on to interfere with Konoha's glory.

This was one of the things that Hiruzen had been most diligent in preventing Danzo from obtaining; the power that was rightfully his, and would help Danzo fully make Konoha the greatest village in the world; heck that would dominate the world. That power came in the form of two objects: the title of Hokage, and the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. For decades, Danzo had held onto his ambition of obtaining the illustrious title as the Hokage of Konoha, and he had dreams of how glorious his reign would truly be. If he was only given that blasted title, then he could truly turn Konoha into what it was always meant to be. Furthermore, the title in question would also aid Danzo in getting his hands on the Jinchuuriki.

For almost eight years; Danzo had tried everything possible to get his hands on the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, Naruto Uzumaki. Yes, he knew they boy had a name, but he didn't care and kept calling him by his title of Jinchuuriki. The demon was meant to be controlled, and the demon container was merely the weapon to allow said demon to be controlled. The boy was merely a weapon, an object to be used. And yet, Hiruzen insisted on denying Danzo his priced weapon. He knew what Hiruzen was planning – if he could get the brat to become a Shinobi, then Naruto would only need to answer directly for the Hokage, and he would be away from Danzo's grasp. Didn't Hiruzen see that by doing this, he was squandering the potential of the Kyuubi, the strongest of the nine Bijuu? Danzo remembered his attempt and talk about turning over the Jinchuuriki over to his care.

 **-Flashback, about a week ago-**

"Hiruzen, I request that you give me the Jinchuuriki. You know that I can make it into a powerful weapon that will serve Konoha's greatness", Danzo told his old friend and rival. They were standing in the Hokage Office, as Hiruzen Sarutobi was sitting behind his desk; the Hokage hat proudly sitting on top of his head.

"Danzo, we have been over this repeatedly. I am not going to let you be in charge of Naruto's training. Naruto will be going to the academy like every other child", Hiruzen sighed exasperatedly at Danzo's stubbornness.

"Hiruzen, surely you must realise the advantages of having that boy be properly trained. You will squander his true potential if you let him go to the academy. I can see to it that his potential is fully realised."

"I will not let you turn Naruto into one of your emotionless drones." Hiruzen was getting annoyed and angry at Danzo's callous disposition regarding Naruto's mental wellbeing. This was one of the things Danzo and Hiruzen would always disagree upon: the value of emotions within Shinobi.

"Why would that be so bad? Emotions are only a hindrance for Shinobi, as they are only meant to serve their village and not let their personal ambitions get in the way of the village's glory. Weapons certainly don't need emotions. Because that is all Jinchuuriki are; weapons to be used for Konoha's glory", Danzo exclaimed with a stern voice that showed his conviction on the matter.

"Danzo", Hiruzen started while giving an unfaltering look at the Root Founder. "I know you have a personal resentment towards emotions and emotional attachments, and that you find them worthless for a Shinobi's efficiency. But this is not a case when the arguments surrounding the value of emotion will matter. A Jinchuuriki needs their emotions to function. Otherwise, they cannot use the power of their Bijuu. If I let you deprive Naruto of emotions; it would not only make us lose the power of controlling the Kyuubi, but it would also put the entirety of Konoha at risk of the Kyuubi breaking free again." Danzo was quiet for a while after hearing this, before trying once again.

"Hiruzen, I implore that-"

"No, Danzo", Hiruzen interrupted. "I have heard quite enough. You are not getting Naruto today or any time soon as long as I have anything to say about it. I am the Hokage, not you. Now leave my office." Hiruzen's tone left no room for argument, and Danzo simply gave the slightest of bows, before leaving the office.

 **-Flashback end-**

Danzo seethed at the memory. Hiruzen was truly blind to it all. He intended the brat to go to the academy, form bonds and learn all about being a Shinobi. Hiruzen genuinely believed that the boy would learn anything from the teachers, much less gain friends. They would never let the boy learn anything, and if they boy was taught anything; it would be done incorrectly. All because of the stupid idea, that they should weaken the Kyuubi. These idiots would be hindering the ultimate weapon's potential, and Hiruzen would allow it, in his blissful ignorance that he was helping the boy forming friendships.

This could not be allowed to happen. Danzo had repeatedly tried to get the Jinchuuriki under his control, but every time he tried to appeal to the council to get it; he was overruled. He had the Civilian Council on his side, as they didn't care what happened to the boy, and as long as he was under their control; they were happy. It was most of the clan heads and of course the Hokage himself that proved to be real obstacle. They didn't want him to remove the boy's emotions and some even accused that he would just use it for his own gain. Those sentimental fools – do they not realise that Danzo was thinking about the well-being of Konoha? That his version of Konoha was the way to the future of glory and power?! Of course not, all they saw was a boy, not a weapon. The only one who seemed to not be against the idea of using the boy as a weapon was Fugaku Uchiha. If only that poor fool was on Danzo's side and that Uchiha clan was not planning an uprising. They would have to take care of that soon enough, and secretly Danzo was considering the idea of utilising the Sharingan in more… creative fashions. That way, he could control the Kyuubi directly, if the rumours of the Sharingan being capable of controlling the Bijuu were in fact true.

However, first he needed to get hold of the Jinchuuriki himself, which is not an easy task on its own. Because of the attacks on the boy, Hiruzen kept a constant Anbu unit that would follow the boy, one of them being Kakashi Hatake. They couldn't just snatch the boy, even with a distraction at hand. They would trace the boy back to the Root Base immediately, especially since Hatake had his dog summons that were extremely good at picking up scents, even if one was to leave no trace of any scent. No, they had to be cleverer and catch the boy without leaving a single trace.

The best way to do that would be to reverse-summon the boy to his location, but while Danzo knew a deal of Fuinjutsu; he didn't know enough to the point he could pull of feats like that. If he had the Hirashin, then maybe he could, but not at his current level of knowledge. The one who could come closest to it was Jiraiya of the Sannin, and even then Danzo doubted the Toad Sage could do it. Furthermore, Danzo couldn't use a summoning animal either, as none of his Root-nin had any contracts of their own. True, Danzo had his own personal summon, but he would rather keep that hidden and save it as one of his trump cards, not use it to capture one little boy. It would also bring too much attention. So using summoning creatures was out of the question. However, just because he couldn't use the Hirashin or summons; it didn't mean that Danzo was out of options. In fact, while it was not as efficient as say the Hirashin; it would serve his purpose of capturing the Jinchuuriki nicely.

A little over a year ago, he had met up with a man named Yin Amori. Yin was a civilian merchant that was very good at finding unusual artefacts and selling them to people who desired to use it. No questions asked, just offer the payment and leave. Yin was fully aware of client confidentiality, so he had hired a seal master to put a seal on his tongue, similar to the one Danzo puts on his Root Operatives, which prevents Yin from revealing any of the names or identities of his clients. He could discuss where he got an item, but not about who gave it to him. Danzo could respect that, as much as he at times loathed admitting it. Yin had done a few dealings with Danzo in the past, and he had managed to acquire a few rarities that Danzo enjoyed, including a very nice sword that was made from a rare material in a country to the far West.

On this visit, he had a few nice tantos that he was looking to sell for a cheap price; to which Danzo agreed. Afterwards, when Danzo asked Yin if he had anything interesting in stock this time, Yin seemed to be slightly hesitant. Then he brought out a wooden box covered in seals, and handled an extraordinary amount of care, almost like it contained a volatile virus. Danzo even noticed that Yin unlocked the box, something that, along with keeping several seals on it; he had never done before to Danzo's knowledge. However, upon opening the box, to Danzo's confusion; there was only a set of two pendants. They didn't look really that extraordinary; there just looked like round badges with some strange markings on them. One of them was made of copper, while the other one was made of iron.

Before Danzo could question the merchant's sanity, Yin swiftly told him to not underestimate the simple appearance of these two necklaces, even throwing in a jab of how Shinobi are supposed to look underneath the underneath. Yin explained that despite the pendants cheap and crude exterior; they contained a very potent ability that only the Hirashin could beat. Danzo became slightly interested, and reached out to grab one of them for further inspection. However, before he could; Yin swiftly reached out and stopped his hand. Of course, while this got the attention of his Root-nin as they were about to kill the man in front of them; Danzo stopped them, as he was aware of Yin's extremely customer-friendly approach. Yin would rather drink acid, before doing anything that could alienate his customer. So to stop and grab his customer's approaching hand around Shinobi assigned to protect said customer, would not only be dangerous for Yin, but it would definitely be seen as endangering the customer's relationship with him. This, if nothing else, gained Danzo's attention. What was so peculiar about these pendants?

Yin explained that these pendants are capable of summoning and reverse summoning. Yin explainted that, upon repeating a particular phrase, "Darkness is coming", while holding the Copper Pendant; that person would be instantly transported to a specific location. You can even send several people, as long as they are touching the pendant or the person wearing the pendant, and the pendant itself left little to no trace. After using the Copper Pendant, the one holding the Iron Pendant could reverse summon the person with the Copper Pendant, simply by saying the words "Darkness has left". The only condition was that the person would have to wait fifteen minutes, before they could reverse summon them. Now, this had completely caught Danzo's interest; the ability to essentially mimic a miniature of Hirashin. True, the fifteen-minute delay was very much a bother, as it meant it couldn't be used for combat. But it would be brilliant to use as an instant escape, or to hide something away and not leave any distinct trace. Danzo understood now why Yin prevented Danzo from touching any of the pendants; he could have been sent away by mistake. However, it was when Danzo asked Yin about where the pendant sends the one wearing the Copper Pendant that it became abundantly clear to Danzo that there was definitely something more to this object than meets the eye…

 **-Flashback-**

"This is an interesting object, Yin, very interesting indeed. I think you may have gotten yourself a sale, but first I must ask: where exactly does this object send you", Danzo asked. His head was going over the various possibilities such an item could bring, but he stopped those thoughts when he saw Yin's expression. The normally tan skin now seemed to pale something fierce and Yin was even twitching uncomfortably.

"Okay, Shimura-sama", Yin started, his voice having a surprising trembling quality to his usually calm and confident voice. "Please know that I would never lie to you, as that would damage my reputation as a businessman. So do know that I'm telling the truth when I say the following: be very cautious. I have never used it on myself, but I have seen it in action twice: once from the person selling it, and once from my own experimentation of the pendants. Wherever the one wearing the Copper Pendant is sent to… it is beyond dangerous. There is something at this location, and that something is not friendly. I am willing to sell it to you if you wish, but do know the risk of using this item. No one wearing the Copper Pendant when it is activated returns, without being horribly affected."

 **-Flashback end-**

Danzo agreed to purchase the Pendants, but asked to test it first on one of his soldiers. Yin agreed, just as long as Danzo further agreed to not hold Yin responsible for whatever happened to those soldiers. Next, Danzo brought out two of his Root Operatives. He ordered one of them to wear the Copper Pendant, while the other held on to the wearer. Danzo then gave them clear orders that they were to find out as much as they could about this location. If they found any creature, they would not engage it and instead try to document what it was and if it could possibly be used in future endeavours. He would try to call them back within ten minutes, to test the time limit. If it didn't work, he would bring them back within fifteen as it was meant to. If twenty minutes had passed and they had not been reverse-summoned; they were instructed to find a way out and to get themselves home to Konoha as soon as possible.

The Root-nin understood and upon activating the phrase; they instantly vanished, just like Yin promised. Next, the first test of summoning them within ten minutes did not work, but it did work at the fifteen-minute mark to the second; again, what Yin promised. Danzo may have been surprised that the pendants worked as they did, but that paled in the sheer shock that rose, he saw the state of his two Shinobi. They were covered in claw marks and had tears in their clothes. However, it was their mental states that worried Danzo. They were broken, terrified and could not stop crying and twitching. Danzo tried to ask them what had happened, but every time he tried; they wouldn't respond. It was like something had grabbed their very cores and traumatised them beyond belief. The soldiers he had personally trained into becoming his loyal subordinates, unable to feel fear. Not even Yamanaka Jutsu could break through that emotional conditioning.

What could possibly break them into these broken messes in fifteen minutes?

Since then, he had performed several experiments with the Pendants and its obscure location. For now, they just called this place the Prison. The reason for this is because the only description he could get of the place; was that it looked like a maze reminiscent of prison halls with barred windows. Danzo had sent some Root-nin, but mostly bandits, civilians and even Missing-nin. Out of everyone he sent, not one of them came back unaffected. None of them could describe what they had seen, only that it was horrible. In some cases, Danzo didn't get anyone back – just the pendant itself.

However, some of them didn't just come back completely traumatised; some of them came back in what was essentially a vegetative state. They wouldn't move, talk or respond to any form of stimulus. While one could say that this was a persistent vegetative state, there was something completely different about this. It was like they had completely died on the inside and lost their very being, but the body had yet to catch up. For some reason, this bothered even Danzo. There was something too unsettling with this. They had no clue of what it was that caused this. Even when he had Fuu Yamanaka go through the memories of the ones they sent, they learned nothing. When Fuu tried to check the vegetative ones, there were no memories found, like someone had completely erased them with no trace. However, when Fuu tried finding memories within the minds of those who were not vegetative; it was like he was hit with a massive backlash. The memories were affected to the point that even a Yamanaka would be injured if they tried to relive it. It was clear that whatever was behind this, it was dangerous. No one had managed to stand up to whatever it was causing this, not a single Shinobi they sent could. And some of them were even A-Rank Missin-nin from Kumo, who came back with some of the worst injuries yet, not to mention they too had ended up in the same vegetative state. He sent about seventy people to the Prison, and out of all of them; only twenty returned, and out of them; only three were still considered fit for Shinobi Duty. In the end, it was determined that the Prison was too dangerous for anyone above A-Rank. True, he could ask Orochimaru, but he didn't want to involve that man into this for obvious reasons.

Danzo had decided he was going to use these Pendants and the Prison as his means of obtaining the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. That way, he would get the brat without leaving any trace whatsoever. It was by no means a perfect plan, as he ran the risk of the Jinchuuriki returning completely unstable or even worse in that vegetative state. However, it was a risk worth taking, as long as he could get the Kyuubi in his grasp. Heck, if he could get a Sharingan in his grasp, then he could still control it.

Hiruzen had his chance, and so far he has proved zero results. Now, it was Danzo's turn, and he would prove that he was indeed the one to bring Konoha into a new age.

 **-The Next Day, at noon-**

Kakashi Hatake, also known as the Anbu Operative Dog or Inu, was jumping between rooftops, his spiky silver hair blowing through the wind as he was moving faster than anyone could detect. He was wearing his mask resembling a dog and Anbu outfit, as he was jumping towards his designated location to switch shift with another fellow Anbu. This shift was the protective detail of Naruto Uzumaki. He was one of the few Anbu that would actively seek out to actually help Naruto, even if his orders were to stay at a distance from the boy, and interact only if necessary. Kakashi understood and respected those rules, but still whenever he could; Kakashi would offer Naruto an ear or someone to talk to. Whatever he could provide the kid with. Some of his fellow Anbus were rather surprised by this, because in their minds: Kakashi would have the most reason to hate Naruto. After all, he is the result of the death of the Fourth Hokage. To which, Kakashi would scoff, and simply say that beating up a young boy that is not even ten years old is not how you honour his sensei's memory.

It was true that Kakashi still mourned the death of Minato-sensei along with Kakashi's dead teammates. One would often find Kakashi standing by the Memorial Stone, mourning his fallen comrades. But despite all the despair, Kakashi found in himself to not hold Naruto responsible, despite how easy it was to just blame the boy. Some of his fellow members would find this stupid, but there were also just as many if not more that admired Kakashi for his determination and honour. Kakashi may not know why Naruto was chosen for the sealing that took the Fourth's life, but Kakashi would trust in Minato-sensei's resolve and trust in Naruto.

As Kakashi was approaching the designated meeting spot, he was surprised to not see the Anbu he was going to meet being there. True, this was a rookie Anbu, but it wasn't common for said Anbu to be late. That was usually Kakashi's role. The rookie had been brought in to replace Crow for the day, as Crow had come down with a surprising cold. After waiting a while, an Anbu appeared in front of him, with a mask resembling a hare covering his face.

"I am sorry; I am a bit late, Dog-Senpai. I had to settle a dispute down the street – some intoxicated shinobi were fighting each other", the Anbu appeared as he is stood in front of Kakashi.

"How long ago was this, Hare", Kakashi asked sternly. He could tell that Hare was not telling any lies, but he was still not pleased with the Anbu in front of him. The rookie Hare, noticing this displeasure, looked down on the ground in shame. He knew he had messed up.

"About twenty minutes ago, I dropped them off to the Police Force-"

"And next time, you let the Police Force take care of drunken Shinobi. While I commend you for taking initiative and stopping that fight; it was still careless of you to leave your current mission unprotected. I understand you had good intentions, but you don't leave your post as an Anbu unless it is really urgent. A drunken brawl does not count. If this happens again, I will have you demoted. Is that clear?" Kakashi's voice left no room for arguments, and delivered a promise pain if Hare would try to argue.

"No, Dog-Senpai, it will not happen again. Forgive me." Hare bowed on the ground in front of Kakashi.

"Just make sure this doesn't happen again", Kakashi responded sternly. He knew that Hare genuinely had nothing against Naruto, and that Hare just had a habit of wanting to stop fights from breaking out between Shinobi. However, this was Anbu; you had a higher obligation now than simple bar brawls. Why on Earth were they drinking at noon anyway? "Report, where is the mission?" Kakashi hated referring Naruto as just 'the mission', but it was important for Anbu to remain secretive.

"Yes Dog-Senpai, the mission is currently on its way to Ramen Ichiraku. It should be there soon enough, and there are no real signs of danger-"

Just when Hare finished that word, a great noise could be heard in the direction of Ramen Ichiraku. It sounded like people screaming as they were running, or more so chasing after something. Considering the direction and what big groups of people tend to chase in this village; it didn't take long for Kakashi to understand what all of this meant.

"Hare, the mission is presumably being attacked. Follow me, when need to save him", Kakashi ordered with a clear tone.

"Yes, Dog-senpai!" Kakashi and Hare jumped between the roofs towards the destination. On the way, Kakashi radioed to the others responsible for Naruto's safe-keeping that they were needed. It didn't take long for three more people, one man and two women, to appear right next to Kakashi and Hare. They bolted through the roofs, and saw that Naruto was being chased by a huge mob. That on its own was strange, because the size of the mob was only seen around Naruto's birthday. This made Kakashi question why there were so many on this day, but he decided to ignore it for now. Naruto was in danger and needed help!

"Hare, Weasel, Cat, Snake – form a wall preventing the civilians from getting to Naruto!" Kakashi ordered.

"Yes sir", all of the present Anbu responded as one unit. Then they all jumped down on the ground, covering the way for any of the mob. Kakashi was depressed and angered when he saw several Chuunin in the crowd alongside the civilians.

"In the name of Hokage-Sama; you are all guilty of attempt and assault on a minor. Lay down your weapons, or we will be forced to use force", Kakashi said, his tone dripping with the authority fitting for his status as an Elite Jounin. It caused some of the people to falter, and Kakashi thought for a brief moment that it was going to end right here. He shouldn't have jinxed it too soon.

"It's worse than we thought! The demon has bewitched these Anbu! Let's kill the beast so that we may save them too", screamed one of the most enthusiastic Kyuubi haters, who ran at them along with his fellow haters. The rest of the mob simply went with the flow and charged as well.

"Use non-lethal force, unless it is absolutely necessary." Kakashi took his stance alongside his fellow Anbu, as they swiftly started dealing with them. The civilians and chuunin tried to fight through the five Anbu, but even with their superior number; they couldn't even make Kakashi and his fellow Anbu break a sweat. Just as he was done and he let his subordinates wrap everything up, he allowed himself a brief moment to look after Naruto. However, in his peripheral vision, he noticed how Naruto bolted and ran down the street, and around the block. Kakashi shouted after the boy to wait, but Naruto would not stop. Kakashi started running after Naruto, and saw how Naruto ran into an alleyway. However, he also saw the brief flicker of a ninja jumping down from the roof of the neighbouring buildings into the same alleyway. Kakashi picked up his speed and bolted into the alleyway, but saw no one upon arrival. He didn't see Naruto, or any of the ninja he clearly saw jump down into the alleyway. Kakashi was confused, but didn't let it deter him, and he quickly summoned his trusted dog companions.

"Kakashi, what is the matter", said a deep voice, coming from small, brown pug-like dog wearing a blue vest and the Konoha forehead protector on top of its head.

"Pakkun, I was chasing Naruto, and I saw him running into this alleyway. However, I also noticed a few unidentified Shinobi jumping in from the roof at the same time. I need to find them."

"Okay, give me a moment", the dog now known as Pakkun replied. The dog started sniffing the opening of the alleyway, before stopping himself. He turned back to Kakashi. "Kakashi, are you sure that only Naruto went down this alleyway", Pakkun asked.

"Of course, I have only seen Naruto enter, as the other ninja jumped in. Why do you ask?"

"Because I only smell two scents, that are both very recent. One is yours, but the other one is clearly that of a girl", Pakkun responded. Kakashi felt his jaw drop. He had not seen any girl enter before Naruto, and there was no trace of anyone else when he entered either. And since Pakkun can only smell two scents, and one of them was Kakashi himself, then that would mean…

"A girl? Are you sure", Kakashi asked, wanting to clarify what he just heard.

"I am sure. There is a clear distinct smell, and it is really clear that she is a girl, who is also starting to develop the hormones of a woman. Her scent carries youth, but also extreme power. Considering who Naruto is, it adds up… well aside from the fact Naruto is supposed to be a boy", Pakkun responded. Kakashi felt his world turn on itself. Naruto was actually a girl this whole time? He quickly shook his head – that was for later.

"Well, let's assume that Naruto is a girl and that is her scent – what can you tell", he asked urgently. He had to find out where Naruto was, and if he/she was okay. Pakkun started sniffing into the alleyway and was baffled once more. He took another sniff just to be sure, but it didn't make any sense.

"Okay, Kakashi. I can detect that Naruto, or whoever this girl is, ran into this alleyway, just like you said. She was ambushed by a total of five men, one of them smelling like insects, but all of them also smell kind of like Anbu." Pakkun's explanation made Kakashi's mind start to work up the most logical conclusion. The insects would suggest the Aburame clan, but they have never really had reason to go after Naruto. If anything, the Aburame Clan was very supportive of Naruto's plight, being able to relate on the prejudice of the civilians due to the Aburame Clan carrying hives of insects within their bodies. Additionally, there was also the detail of the perpetrators smelling similar to Anbu Operatives. Kakashi knew that there were no current members from the Aburame Clan among any of the Anbu members. Though there was one type of Anbu that used to have at least one Aburame in its midst: Root. So this was most likely Danzo playing at trying to get Naruto.

"Danzo, your greed is still present as always", Kakashi muttered with rage lacing his tone. "Where did they take him- I mean her?" At this, Pakkun was quiet for a while as if contemplating something.

"Well… Kakashi, has anyone else learned the Hirashin", Pakkun asked after a while, with confusion in his voice. The question took Kakashi by surprise. Why on earth would he ask that?

"…No, no one but the Fourth can use the technique due to the intricate seals. Why do you ask?"

"Because it is the only way I can make sense out of all of their scents just disappearing", Pakkun responded. Kakashi felt his whole world stop briefly.

"What do you mean 'disappeared'", Kakashi asked with a brief panic entering his voice. "There has to be something, no one can just disappear out of nowhere!"

"I am sorry Kakashi, but they do. I can smell that the five Anbu-like presences jumped Naruto in this alley, and I can smell that they used some faint and unfamiliar energy that is very small and mainly located around Naruto's scent. However, this power was added to her, as I only smell it where she disappeared and not before she entered. There is nothing on the walls or ground suggesting seals or anything smelling like it, and likewise I don't smell the scent of any summon of any kind. They just disappeared, all six of them, from this one spot. I am sorry, Kakashi", Pakkun apologised. Kakashi felt his world fall underneath him. Naruto was gone? Not only was she suddenly revealed to be a girl, but she was also missing. She had been taken, most likely by Danzo. Kakashi had failed Minato-sensei again. He couldn't even protect Naruto when Naruto needed his help. No – Kakashi couldn't stand here and mope. He had to help Naruto, and if he- she is in the hands of Danzo; only the Gods know what he is planning to do to her. He had to confront the Hokage about all of this immediately!

 **-With Naruto, about ten minutes earlier-**

Naruto was walking with cautious steps through Konoha. While she was still determined about talking to Ayame and Teuchi; she was not as determined to get assaulted by villagers. She needed to talk to the Ichirakus today, and if the villagers got interfered and started attacking; then that would delay that confrontation. She was contemplating what the Ichirakus' reactions may be. Would they be accepting? Would they call her a liar? She did lie over ramen after all. Then Naruto started taken a deep breath and calmed herself down. She had known them for almost four years; she had entrusted plenty to them, and everything about them have always seemed genuine. It is pretty safe to trust them out of everyone in this village. She briefly thought about the people that mattered to her, Teuchi, Ayame, Hinata, and even some in Anbu that she felt was more trustworthy than the others: Dog, Weasel, Snake, Cat and Crow; especially Dog, Weasel and Crow. She even knew Crow's real identity. Thinking of him and the rest of them filled Naruto with joy and confidence with what she was about to do. Naruto calmed down and her walking started to reflect her confidence, which gained the attention of some of the villagers.

Naruto looked down the street she was at, and noticed she was almost at Ramen Ichiraku. She just needed to walk a little further and then Naruto would arrive to the Ramen Restaurant and be able to enjoy some deeper bonding time alongside Ichiraku's ramen. Sadly, it would seem that the luck did not favour Naruto in this moment, for a large group, or rather mob of civilians, and even several Chuunin started to gather around her.

"Today is the day that the demon will die!" Voices screamed for Naruto's blood, and Naruto cursed her bad luck in that they would form a mob after her now of all times. Naruto knew she was outnumbered, so she did the next reasonable thing after fighting: running away. Naruto started evading the mob and their weapons to the best of her abilities. She had been running for five minutes at most, when all of a sudden a group of five Anbu landed in front of the mob.

"On the orders of Hokage-Sama; you are all guilty of attempt and assault on a minor. Lay down your weapons, or we will be forced to use brute force", said the Anbu Operative Dog. Naruto recognised him from earlier whenever he had helped her. There were many brief moments over the past three to four years when Dog would appear out of nowhere and just speak to Naruto. They were very brief, at most ten to fifteen minutes, but they meant everything to Naruto. She considered Dog to be her friend, and one of the few people in this village who she could trust.

"It's worse than we thought! The demon has bewitched these Anbu! Let's kill the beast so that we may save them too", screamed a voice from the crowd, as he charged along with the rest of the mob. The world started growing hazy for Naruto. Her entire being became filled with sadness and rage. They had the nerve to dare accuse her of bewitching one of her friends, and were going to kill her for it? They were all so quick to buy into that lie. Will others also be that quick? With Hiruzen most likely keeping secrets, who can she trust?! Confused, hurt and angry, Naruto ran away from the fight, not even noticing the shouts coming from Dog. Her mind was just focusing on how this whole blasted village never seems to care for her. What was the point of it all?

Why would she have to go through her whole life just to be the punching bag that they project all of their hatred and frustrations upon? For the love of Kami; Naruto had even been targeted at one point, just because that man had a long day at work and needed something to let his aggression out on. She knew that she had the Kyuubi in her, but what excuse was that? Naruto couldn't be even truthful about her actual gender. If she is so despised that she cannot even be honest in regards to what sort of genitals she was born with, then what the hell was the point of even being alive?! Tears started pouring down her cheeks, as Naruto ran into an alleyway. Sadly, she did not notice the five shinobi until they were already grabbing on to her. She noticed that all of them were wearing the standard Anbu mask and robes, but their uniforms that were visible underneath the robes did not look like any Anbu uniform she had ever seen before. Before she could ask what they wanted, one of them slipped something over her head and around her neck. She looked down and noticed it was some kind of copper necklace. Then that same Anbu grabbed the necklace and held on to her, before leaning forward.

"Darkness is coming", he said in a quiet tone. And just as those words were uttered, it was like someone was pulling her through the air at lightning speed. It took just a single moment, and then the alleyway was empty. Even when Kakashi and other Anbu Operatives would search for her, they would not find her. Naruto Uzumaki was gone.

 **-Elsewhere-**

The dark, empty halls were completely silent, devoid of any sound of the living. The only thing that could be heard was wind breezing through the corridor. It was as if life itself had left this place and left nothing more than the darkest of voids. That silence was swiftly shattered when the sound of six bodies hit the stone floor at once. The five members of Root had evidently an easier time recovering from the disorienting experience than the sixth participant. All of the Anbu were swiftly getting their bearings and after making sure the immediate area was safe; they started to plan the mission. They had landed in The Prison, as they had dubbed it, just where one hallway was connected to the end of another hallway, forming a t-shape. The Anbu turned towards each other in order to proceed with the situation. It was clear that while they had the robes and masks; these five men were not actual Anbu. They were all wearing unique uniforms underneath the robes. The only piece of their uniform they all had in common was a short, black, midriff jacket that each one of them wore.

"Alright, listen up. Danzo-sama has given us clear orders", one of them started firmly. There was a faint buzzing among his clothes. "We are to wait for fifteen minutes with the Jinchuuriki. During this time, it is imperative that we keep the Jinchuuriki alive. We need to make sure that the objective is functioning and alive upon the point when the fifteen minutes are up. Each one of us is expendable for Danzo-sama's True Konoha to come to fruition", said one of the Root-nin in a stoic voice. He was distinctively older than the rest, and he even took off his mask in front of them. Underneath the mask, a pair of sunglasses was proudly sitting. With the sunglasses, the stoic face, and the buzzing noise; one could easily reach the conclusion that this man was an Aburame. The Aburame was the oldest member here, and had gotten his instructions from Danzo, along with clear orders that failure was not an option.

The sixth member was slowly getting up. Naruto was feeling incredibly nauseous from the sudden trip. It was only an instant in reality, but it felt like it had lasted for several minutes. Things were definitely not improved upon when she landed on the hard, cold, stony floor like she was a sack of potatoes carelessly thrown down. Without a doubt, that was one of the most uncomfortable means of transportation ever devised. As Naruto got up, she started assessing the situation she was in. She tried to pay attention to what the man with sunglasses was saying. From the appearance, she would guess he was part of the Aburame clan. She had only seen some of them from afar, as they were one of the few that never sought out to hurt her, something she came to truly appreciate. Of course, they never really got themselves involved either, so that kind of nullified it, but she did break it down to them thinking similarly to bugs and being all about logic. So the presence of one of them amongst those who just kidnapped her was rather odd. She also heard the name 'Danzo-sama' being repeated, so she assumed that whoever this Aburame was working for, may not necessarily be involved with the Aburame Clan. She tried to listen to him relaying all of the instructions regarding the mission of holding her there, but she couldn't take the eyes of her environment. It looked like she was transported into some cold, dark dungeon. This place had an ominous feel to it. The walls, floors and roof were made of stone. There was little to no light, with the only source of it being from barred windows near the roofs, and underneath some of these windows were small puddles of water that had been created from rain. As Naruto was looking around this place, she tried to understand the feeling she was getting while looking at the stones, and breathing the air. She felt dread and pure emptiness roaming around her, and it made her feel… fulfilled. How can emptiness and dread make her feel fulfilled? It was like something within this place was stirring something within her she never knew she had or had felt before, but had longed to feel ever since she was born – like a glass of water being given to someone who has never heard of it. As she was contemplating what all of this meant, she picked up the last pieces from the Root-Nins' conversation.

"Tsuchinoto, Kanoe; you are to check the local area and make sure that we are safe for the next fifteen minutes. Kanoto, Mizunoe; you will stay here. Whatever is present here has caused significant amount of damage to everyone who arrived; we cannot afford to be careless. As long as the Jinchuuriki is safe with that necklace", said the Aburame. The other men just nodded and two of them, one of them with a mask with dark green markings, and the other with a beaked mask with purple markings, immediately got ready to find anything out of the ordinary. The other two, one with yellow markings on his mask and the other dark blue, made a parameter around Naruto, alongside the Aburame. For some reason, said Aburame had taken off his mask. Maybe it was to establish his position as the leader or something? She honestly didn't know. What Naruto did know however, was that she had to get out of here. Obviously, their leader Danzo had intentions for her, and she did NOT want to be a puppet in someone's plans. She didn't know what would happen within fifteen minutes, but she wasn't going to stay to find out. Naruto started looking for an opening, and was prepared to take it the moment she saw it, when she and the other nin felt something.

In one moment, the air was filled by a cold aura. The void that previously embodied this place became all the deeper and potent, like all the love and warmth of the world was surgically removed with pinpoint precision and only emptiness and dread remained. The air became colder and each of the puddles of water started freezing over. The Root-nin felt something like fear, but that is impossible; Danzo-sama's teachings had gotten rid of that. They stood above fear, and they couldn't feel it… right? As for Naruto, she again felt at home, to her immense surprise. It was cold sure, but it was easy to get used to. For her it was more like a chilling wind that is blowing straight at you, albeit mildly. She did feel that something was approaching, and that she wanted to see it. At that moment, both Tsuchinoto and Kanoe returned.

"Aburame-senpai, something is approaching", said Kanoe with a serious tone that desperately tried to hide the fear building within, but unable to do so

"Everyone, remember your mission", the Aburame said sternly. Once his words were spoken, all of them took position around Naruto. Because of this, Naruto no longer had her opening to escape. Out of the Root-nin, the Aburame was the best at holding himself together, but the fear was building up even within him. However, they all put themselves back together. They were going to face whatever these things were, and serve Danzo proudly. It was at that moment, a strange noise resembling a distorted combination of a hiss and a shriek filled the halls, making the Root-nin tense up at the sound.

 **-At the same time, inside Naruto's seal-**

Deep within the recesses of a dark hallway, with the floors covered by water, there was a giant cage. Within this cage, simply locked by a sheet up paper with a seal on it; a massive creature started to stir. It was the Kyuubi, the giant nine-tailed fox that attacked Konoha almost eight years ago. Since then, he had been trapped within this girl. He growled at the thought.

 **"** **Damn you, Minato Namikaze. I will be whole once more, and when I am, I will have my revenge fulfilled"** , his voice rumbled through the empty hallways. Kyuubi had spent most of these last few years sleeping, but had occasionally woken up and looked at the world outside. Usually he saw the girl being tormented by those stupid villagers or nothing interesting would happen. Often he would be woken by an injury he had to heal, but he was surprised that it wasn't any injury that called for his attention. It was something else. The Kyuubi looked around and saw nothing was amiss with his host's body. No, he realised that something outside must have been waking him, which was an immense surprise all on its own. Despite what the villagers thought in their all-knowing stupidity; hurting the girl did not physically affect the Kyuubi in any way. The only way it affected him was in how the host's mindscape looked, and not so surprisingly; it was a sewer. But that was the extent of something affecting him through the girl. So what on earth could remotely affect him?

As the Kyuubi was considering this conundrum, his thought process was halted by something immensely strange occurring. In one moment, the water all over the cage started freezing over, and at a rapid pace. The aura felt cold and full of dread, like the semblance of life was replaced with an infinite void. Kyuubi's eyes widened at this phenomenon. He had been sealed within two people before this one, and while strange things had happened within both people at occasions; nothing compared to this. This might be a reasonable situation if the individual could manipulate their mindscape, but even then; very few could pull of feats like this at the age of eight. And even if the girl could, the Kyuubi could tell that the source was not from her, but from something else. The Kyuubi immediately used the girl to look outside at what was happening.

 **"** **It was a good thing that the girl accidentally activated her unusually potent chakra that day when the purple-haired snake like woman was about to be raped. Otherwise, I never would have been able to see directly what is happening outside"** , the Kyuubi muttered to himself. Even he could get bored at times, and counting the amount of furs on his body could only challenge him the first hundred times. The other ten thousand times was simply in order to spend the time. As Kyuubi took a look at what his vessel was looking at; he actually wished he hadn't. The Kyuubi may have seen a lot in his life, but has never seen creatures like those before. For the first time in a long time; the Kyuubi felt something else aside from undiluted hatred. He felt fear. He could tell that those creatures were strong, but nowhere as strong as him. They would be challenging sure, but they could be defeated in the end, albeit with some effort. It was what was connected to them that frightened him. An endless storm of power was directly connected to these creatures. He had never felt anything like this ever before. It actually dwarfed his power. And even if the Kyuubi had the power to stand up to it; he was stuck in this cage. While his host had opened up their chakra, the Kyuubi couldn't access the mind or take over his host without their express permission.

The Kyuubi shivered from fear, and prayed that his vessel get them both out of there. This was one enemy he couldn't beat.

 **-Outside the seal-**

In their lives, the Root-Nin had been trained to not feel fear, and had been taught to expect the unexpected. The Aburame had extra training in this regard, and his upbringing made him think to approach situations with logic and thought, instead of emotions. All of that meant nothing here, as nothing they had ever done could have prepared them for the… things that were in front them. In the corridors, there were several tall humanoid shadows, floating in the air above them. All of them reached about three metres in height. They were all adorned in hooded, black cloaks that covered their entire bodies. It looked like that despite being solid cloaks, that their cloaks was made out of ripped black cloth, and that they should be falling apart at any moment. It was too dark to make out the shadows' faces, but they could see that beneath their clothes, their bodies were skeletal, grey and decomposing like a corpse. From the arms of the cloaks, the Root-nin could see bony hands with clawed fingers poking out. The skin looked decayed, grey and scabbed. And from what they could tell, there was a big open hole where their mouths should to be, surrounded by grey, scabbed skin. These creatures were floating in the air, their tattered cloaks breezing and floating around them despite there being no wind around them. There were three of them in the hallways, one in each of the three different ways that the shinobi could take. While they were floating and not moving, it sounded like deep breaths that were sucking in air were coming from their mouths. No matter how human these things looked; they were clearly not human, at least not anymore.

"Everyone, get your tant-", started Aburame, getting ready for any sort of attack, when all of a sudden; one of them flew straight at them with that hissing screech, at an alarmingly fast speed that they could barely detect. It ended up floating before one of them, and a deep, guttural sucking noise was heard from it, and Mizuone started screaming as the air around his face started to distort, almost like if something was being pulled out of him. Mizuone collapsed on the ground shivering horribly, as the shadow flew around with a light shriek and ended up back where it first started. Aburame had seen and heard nothing like it. How could Mizuone, one the strongest members he had seen, collapse against so little? What had this shadow just done?

"Everyone, attack them. Mizuone has been taken down. Protect the Jinchuuriki", shouted the Aburame, feeling fear welling up deep within him, but his instincts made him fight back. Another one flew forward, but this time the Root-nin Kanoto threw several kunai at the beast. It whistled through the air, but upon impact with the creature; they simply bounced of like they hit pure metal. The monster flew forward with more determination, and just like the other one; it started sucking something out of Kanoto, as the air said Root-nin's face became distorted. Kanoto then fell to the ground with a scream. Aburame and his fellow Shinobi saw the whole thing. It was invulnerable to physical attacks.

"Sir, recommending a joined attack against all of them" Tsuchinoto suggested with urgency.

"Agreed – Kanoe, Tsuchinoto use only elemental attacks", Aburame exclaimed, to which the others nodded in confirmation. All of them swiftly targeted one of the three Shadows each, and swiftly went through the hand seals for each of their techniques, before unleashing them:

" **Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique.** "

" **Water Style: Gunshot.** "

" **Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet.** "

Tsuchinoto, Kanoe and Aburame respectively called out. The next second, a straight line of fire, a condensed blast of water the size a third of Kanoe's body, and a flaming dragon; all charged against the shadows. They simply floated there and didn't even try to dodge when the attacks came, though they had nowhere to dodge, considering these were narrow hallways. Nevertheless, the attacks hit the shadows, and the Root-nin felt an incredible amount of elation at the prospect of these beings dying, which again was surprising considering their emotional conditioning. However, that elation soon turned to an inherent sense of fear when that shriek filled the air once more, and they saw those shadows again – completely unharmed by their attacks. Just like the water on the ground froze; they felt as if the blood in their bodies was freezing into ice. All three shadows then seemed to gear up for an attack at once. At this point, Tsuchinoto swiftly made the 'Tiger'-hand seal, and unleashed another technique.

" **Fire Style: Running Fire.** " He called out, and created a stream of fire that ran a circle of fire on the ground around them, effectively putting up a protective barrier of fire for the Root-nin. All of them then grabbed their tantos and to finish them off if they were stupid enough to charge through the fire. To their surprise; the shadows flew right through the fire completely unharmed, charging at the three Shinobi. The three got ready and charged the three shadows at once.

"For Danzo-sama", the three of them shouted proudly and brought down the sword to cut off their heads… or they would have if the tantos didn't immediately break upon impact with the shadows. They felt their shock rise within them for just a second, before an unimaginable pain struck them, as the creatures started sucking something out of them all. The pain made them all collapse and they were shaking on the ground. Aburame was the best off, but only due to experience, as he still felt horribly weak from the experience. How could this be? It felt like these creatures grabbed on to his very heart and soul and started pulling out everything at once through the orifices on his face. Aburame managed to stay conscious as he heard the three of them attack three of his fellow Root-nin, and their screams echoed through the hallways. In his peripheral vision, Aburame managed to see one of the creatures bend down and pull its hood back slightly, and put its face on top of Mizoune's face. He heard a muffled scream unlike any other, alongside some gurgling noises. Then it was completely silent. As Aburame turned his eyes towards his comrades; he saw that Kanoe and Kanoto were completely unconscious, while twitching, indicating they were still alive However, he felt fear swell through his entire being when he saw Mizuone. Mizuone's mask had been removed, and his eyes were completely empty. These creatures had put him in a vegetative state. Aburame took a good look at these shadows as they were staring down at him and the only other remaining Root-nin. He noticed that the third of them was behind them, as if waiting for something. In Aburame's mind, he knew he had to try one more thing. Hopefully he could use his bugs to suck out the energy out of these shadows. He had to stall them, for as long as needed for Danzo-sama to use the Iron Pendant to bring the Jinchuuriki back.

" **Hidden Jutsu: Beetle Sphere** ", exclaimed Aburame as he expected his bugs to encircle the enemy and attack them… but nothing happened. In own his terror; he had forgotten to check with the bugs. They were terrified and had hidden themselves as deep within their hives as they could in order to avoid these creatures. He tried to urge them to attack, but they all refused, stating that whatever these shadows were; they could not go anywhere near them without dying by the negative and cold energy these creatures exuded. Aburame was at a loss, and desperately tried to think of any means of defeating them, but before he could come to a conlusion; they attacked. One of the shadows started sucking out air from his fellow Shinobi, who screamed in agony before ending up unconscious, while the other shadow bent down towards Aburame. The shadow pulled back its hood a bit, and revealed its horrifying and decaying hole for a mouth, and before Aburame could do anything; the shadow put its mouth on top of Aburame. It was kissing him! He was very confused by this action, until he felt it. An unimaginable pain started coursing through his body, and his muffled scream echoed through the hallway, and it felt like everything was pulled out of him. Aburame thought he was going to die, as the worst of the pain came and then, he felt -

… Aburame… who is… feels… …nothing…

…

…

 **-Meanwhile, with Naruto-**

Naruto could only stare in pure shock and awe as these cloaked and hooded creatures were flying above the ground and not being affected by anything that these Anbu members threw at them. These were powerful Shinobi, capable of easily killing anyone in a matter of seconds, and these creatures were not affected in the slightest. And when they flew and seemed to absorb something from them, distorting the air around the Anbu's masked faces; Naruto's eyes widened in surprise, and even more so at the scream of indescribable pain that came from the Anbu. Neither that impressive combination of techniques nor their sharpened tantos could even do the slightest damage against these… wraiths would probably be the best term for now. They were skeletal corpses that were covered in dark cloaks, so she was going to call them wraiths for now. Regardless, Naruto was completely frozen, but unlike the Shinobi that were now writhing on the floor, she wasn't frozen out of fear, but out of shock. As the creatures had dealt with all five of them; Naruto managed to snap herself out of it. All of this happened within the span of just a couple of minutes at most. As the one bent over the Aburame got up; she truly noticed Aburame after that strange… kiss, that the shadow gave him. His eyes looked empty, and yet it seemed he wasn't quite dead. Like the soul itself was missing. Naruto didn't even know what to feel about that. On one hand, it made her feel incredibly intrigued and curious behind the mechanics of such a technique. On the other hand, she also became worried that she was next. However, she simply sighed and started to consider the best course of action: to fight or accept the inevitable. As she was thinking, she heard something cold and raspy. Naruto opened her eyes and paid attention from where it came from. She noticed the three wraiths look at each other, before one of them waved a hand, and somehow all three of the "surviving" Anbu started floating in the air behind the shadow, as it guided the three of them into the depths of one of the halls. Then she turned her attention to the remaining two shadows, and figured out what it was that she had heard.

The two shadows were speaking to each other, and she could hear what they said.

" _I am telling you, that one-eyed fossil doesn't know when to quit. Constantly throwing people in here just to see what we do_ ", said the first one, all the while that strange hole for a mouth never moved. Its voice was strange; it was both cold and raspy like its voice embodied winter itself. At the same time, there was a melodic quality to its voice that Naruto couldn't quite explain. The voice also had something of a feminine character to it.

" _I know what you mean. While I am grateful for the free food – we are Prison Wardens, not garbage disposal units_ ", said the second one with a somewhat irritated voice. Its voice was similar to the first one, but with a slightly lighter tone. " _Also, was it wise to take the oldest one? He could have provided plenty more memories._ "

" _True, but younger ones usually last longer. I was going with how long we can stretch them out this time, considering less people has been sent to us over the past few months. Besides, the oldest one; Tatsuma Aburame, I think his name was; held the most information about everything. It seems like they had deemed this location to be 'too dangerous' and only used it for a brief objective_ ", the first one replied.

" _Speaking of which_ ", the second one started before turning to Naruto. " _What are we going to do about him?_ " The other wraith turned to Naruto as well and seemed to shrug, before turning back to its companion.

" _I am not sure. I guess it would be more merciful to just kill the boy, and considering what the old bastard has planned for him, it would be more merciful to just end his life probably than let him spend his life here_ ", the first one stated with a cold, but also melancholy tone to its voice. It seemed to not want to kill Naruto, which caught Naruto a bit by surprise, considering the ease they had killing the Aburame.

" _True, it would be the best for the boy. Though when you look at him, he doesn't really look like a boy. Kind of too pretty, ya know_ ", replied the second one. All the while, Naruto started to twitch at the fact that these beings were calling her boy. One would think that soul-sucking wraiths could tell the difference.

 _"_ _Maybe he is one of those girly guys, you know those people are always taking it_ ", the first one crudely joked. This was the last straw for Naruto. Considering that she was intending to break out of her shell and come clean to Ayame-chan and Teuchi-oji; only to be interfered by a mob trying to kill her, followed by false Anbu kidnapping her by awkwardly transporting her to what seems to be some kind of nightmare realm; the aspect of two wraiths making fun of her really got her agitated. The pressure had just been building up since she had decided to open up last night, and now she was ready to blow. Something was released within her and she just let it out.

"Or maybe it is because I am in fact a NOT boy. You know, maybe instead of assuming that judgmental bigots know which gender I really am; you could have just asked me personally and found out who I actually was; you insensitive arseholes!" Naruto had no idea why she chose to reveal her true gender. Probably, because she just didn't care anymore, or because she wasn't in Konoha, and there was no one from there who was currently in a conscious state of mind.

At this point, the two wraiths turned their hooded faces towards Naruto, and while she couldn't see any eyes; she could somehow tell that they were wide in surprise.

" _What… what did you just say_ ", asked the first one, surprise evident in its voice. _"Can you hear us?_ "

"What do you mean – of course I can hear you as clear as day", Naruto replied confused at the bizarre question. Was she not meant to be able to hear them? The two wraiths looked at each other.

" _No, that cannot be true. Must have been luck or something_ ", denied the second one vehemently.

" _I don't think it is, but let's just test this to be sure_. _Okay, girl_ ", the first one started, and turned to Naruto. " _I want to test you. If you understand, nod._ " At which point, Naruto, while confused, obliged and nodded in confirmation. She could feel like the surprise flaring from the two wraiths. " _Okay girl, please repeat this phrase; 'Magic really exists, and it shall always be there to guide us'_ ", the wraith finished.

"'Magic really exists, and it shall always be there to guide us'", Naruto repeated. At this point, the wraiths looked at each other in immense shock.

" _It is actually so. This girl understands our language! But what does that mean? How is this possible_ ", the second one asked; the denial completely gone from her voice, and replaced with inquiry.

" _I'm not sure_ ", replied the first one, before turning back to. " _Girl, how can you understand us?_ "

"I get the feeling that you have your own language, but I can hear your voices pretty clearly. For whatever reason I can clearly make out what you are saying, I don't know. Also, my name is Naruto Uzumaki. It would nice of you to use it." This reply took the two wraiths by surprise once more. What was with this girl?

 _"_ _Are you… not scared by either of us_ ", asked the second wraith, putting an emphasis on the word 'scared'. Naruto put her hand on her chin in contemplation upon that question. What exactly did she feel about these two creatures?

"Well, I don't feel exactly scared by you. I felt a bit intimidated when you arrived and dispatched the guys who kidnapped me with so little effort, but I suppose that is rather normal to feel. Otherwise I feel rather okay", she replied honestly, but still somewhat casually. The two wraiths kept staring at her like she was a complex algebra equation, before they shook their head and snapped themselves out of it.

" _I do apologise for our shock, Miss Uzumaki. You have to understand that close to none have ever come here and not remained terrified at our mere presence. And it is even more surprising that we are able to communicate through speaking like this, as no one has ever understood our native tongue_ ", the first one explained. Naruto felt all the puzzle pieces fall into place; it was as she suspected.

"Well, that would explain the confusion, and I would be confused as well if I was in your position. Also, you can call me Naruto. I don't mind it", she replied and rubbed her spiky hair. "I wish I could explain why I understand your tongue, if no human before me ever has been able to understand you, but I honestly have no idea. I could just understand what you were saying."

" _I see_ ", responded the first wraith. It turned towards the other one, and it seemed like a silent conversation was going on between the two spectral figures, before the first one turned back to Naruto. " _Please Naruto; we would like it if you could come with us. This needs to be addressed in front of all of us_ ", it requested with a polite and curious voice. There was no malice within its tone, but Naruto couldn't help but be cautious of the situation.

"Wait, before I go with you, I need to know more. I introduced myself, it is only proper manners to do the same in return. Who and what are you, and where am I", she asked with a determined voice that left no room for argument. The wraiths stopped and they shook their heads.

" _Of course, how rude of us to not properly introduce ourselves_ ", stated the first one, as its long cloak flowed through the wind as it took a bow in Naruto's direction. " _My name is Morgana, and this is Opaque_ ", she said gesturing to her comrade. " _And we are Dementors, Dark Magical Creatures that have existed before your world did. And this place is our castle in which we have based our colony, and that we have named in memory of one of our former colonies, Azkaban_ ", the Dementor called Morgana finished. Naruto took in her words with wide eyes, knowing that things were definitely beyond anything she could have predicted.

" _Now please_ ", asked the other Dementor named Opaque, with a tone that revealed her desire for answers. " _Could we go and gather the Council? We promise to explain more as we walk you there._ " When she finished, Naruto nodded and was about to walk, when the one called Morgana stopped Naruto.

" _Hold on for just a second_ ", she said, before grasping the Copper Pendant around Naruto's neck and put it around the Aburame's neck. " _Trust me; you don't want to go back to that man. Now, shall we?"_ Naruto nodded to Morgana's words, albeit confused at the situation at hand. Then she started following the two spectres called Dementors into the depths of the hallways, into the unknown…

 **-To Be Continued-**

 _ **Alright, that was the first chapter. I will upload the next chapter as soon as I can. Please let me know what you think, and I will see you in the next chapter.**_

 _ **Prof. Majora**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Alright, Prof. Majora back with another update for the Dementor Representative. First off, let me thank you so much for the positive response that I have gotten from all of you. I honestly did not expect that I would get that many positive responses at once. You guys are awesome.**_

 _ **Now, I guess I should also state that I am not sure how frequently chapters will come out. I was already working on this chapter as I had posted the previous chapter, and I am currently working on the third chapter. I have the first few chapters planned out, and I just need to write them down. This is also the reason I am able to post two chapters within the course of one weekend.**_

 _ **I will update as soon as I am done and I feel satisfied with a chapter. I will be as swift as possible. Thank you so much for the positive response, and I hope you like this upcoming chapter.**_

"Speech"

 _'Thought'_

 _"Dementor Speech_ "

 **"Demon Speech"/Spell or Jutsu**

 _ **'Demon Thought'**_

 **The Dementor Representative**

Chapter 2

"So, what is a Dementor anyway", Naruto asked as they were walking through the Dungeons of what these Dementors referred to as Azkaban. It was strange that the two Dementors could keep track of where to go, as it was quite literally a maze of hallways, corridors and barred windows.

" _Well, while I cannot at the moment give you an in-depth description, I can give you a simplified version: a Dementor is at its core similar to an undead wraith. We can never die and we cannot take any physical or magical damage, with a few exceptions. What separates us from other creatures is that we feed off happy human emotions_ ", Morgana explained. The Dementor was still surprised that the girl walking alongside them was walking happily amongst them, like she wasn't bothered at all.

"Huh, so that is what you were doing to the men I came with. You were sucking out their emotions?" Naruto asked with curiosity in her voice.

" _Yes, that is right_ ", Opaque answered, floating next to Naruto as she wandered down the hallways. As Naruto looked at these two beings, she could somehow tell that there was more than what could be seen at first glance, and it became clear that they weren't just simple creatures in any regard. The fact that they were speaking indicated a level of intelligence, and the regret the possibility of killing particular individuals further indicated said intelligence. She remembered when Morgana had seemed to be hesitant to kill her, even if it was for the sake of mercy, which indicated that they had a concept of morality, and as such weren't just vampires of happy emotions. As she started thinking, Naruto started wondering about more things that had happened to her in these past few minutes. Where did the third Dementor take away those Anbu? Why were the Anbu in question after her, and how did the Dementors know about their plans? She was about to ask her next question, when Naruto noticed that they were just about to exit the maze of prison halls. The Dementors were looking curiously at Naruto as she simply walked forward with no hesitation in her step.

" _Are you capable of seeing the exit_ ", Morgana asked carefully. Naruto just kept walking towards the exit without any worries.

"Yes, I can see the exit. Why, am I meant to not see that too?" Naruto asked with a voice that contained both genuine curiosity and a small bit of sarcasm.

" _Actually; no, you weren't meant to see it_ ", Opaque replied. " _That exit is designed to not allow humans to see it. It so they can never leave this place._ " Her tone carried a more chilling tone to it than before, as she was highlighting the importance of the situation. Naruto became all the more curious about the power and techniques these extraordinary beings were capable of performing. It sounded like it was some kind of Shinobi Techniques, but at the same time; Naruto understood somehow that it clearly wasn't.

They exited the Prison Area, and as soon as they did; a door shut close behind them. Naruto turned around at sound, out of pure reflex, and looked at the old wooden door. However, at the same time she noticed something else. From outward appearances; there was no way that whole giant maze could fit into that small room the door covered. She could see that they were standing outside the top of a tower of some sorts, and they had just exited that tower. How was this possible?

" _You noticed it, did you not?_ " Naruto turned to Morgana at the sound of her voice. There was a proud and almost playful tone hidden within that melodic, icy voice of hers. " _You must be thinking:_ _'There would be no physical way for that laboratory to exist within that small space'. Well, you would be right in normal cases. But the thing is – that was not an illusion. We are in fact capable of performing such feats. How we do so? Well… maybe we will tell you later after we feel more comfortable about you._ " Despite having no visible face or any actual mouth or lips for that matter; Naruto could tell that Morgana was wearing a smirk. The thought caused Naruto to pout a bit.

"You know, I am starting to see why everyone is avoiding you. Not because you are scary, but because you are so bloody smug", Naruto muttered angrily. Morgana's smirk actually grew at this comment, as she evidently heard Naruto's mutterings and found them amusing. "Actually, I was wondering; why did the third one take away the unconscious Shinobi earlier?" Naruto's question broke Morgana out of her smug attitude as she got an answer ready for the girl. She didn't want to traumatise or scare the girl, who was actually sort of enjoyable being around.

" _Actually, they were carried away to… help us with our food supplies. We need every available strong hand after all_ ", Morgana started, briefly forgetting the fact that she had already told Naruto what Dementors ate. Naruto immediately picked up on what Morgana was actually saying.

"So, you keep them around to feast on their emotions for as long as possible", she said, as she noticed Morgana's shoulders stiffening. Naruto's mind started working and a few seconds later, she pieced together what was also not being said. "You have several rooms here, do you not? If you can contain one giant maze that no human should be capable of exiting behind one door that should not be able to contain such a large labyrinth; it would only be logical to assume that you have more rooms similar to that one." After her response, she saw Morgana's shoulders drop a bit, as a weak chuckle escaped her lips.

" _You know, you are a rather perceptive girl, Naruto… and you are not even eight years old yet…_ " Morgan was then quiet for a little while, pondering what to reveal and not to reveal. In the end, Morgana just decided to be honest. " _Yes, you are right. We use those for nourishment. Though to be honest, they are more so extra food. The truth is that we have actually used a system for a very long time were we go to neighbouring islands, cities, towns and other places with large populations, and suck out happy emotions from sleeping people. With time, we have evolved and managed to find a way to absorb emotions with minimal pain for our targets. Though it only works if they are asleep. We can still use our traditional method of absorbing emotions, but we usually reserve those for people we keep here._ "

"But if you go to neighbouring villages, then why keep the people that come here?"

" _Well, we cannot give you the full answer to that question, but we can tell you that one of the minor reasons we do it: because it is always nice to have a snack bar around. Besides we are very selective about whom we pick. And that is all I will tell you about that particular topic for now_ ", Opaque answered this time. Naruto nodded, and the three of them kept on wandering through this place called Azkaban.

When Naruto really looked at the place, she noticed that it was actually ruins of some sort. It looked like it could have been some kind of great fortress or castle of some kind. Nearby, in the distance she saw a great sea on one side of the ruins, and on the other, she saw a massive forest. However, what she found most interesting was the aura this whole place exuded. This place exuded a feeling of pure energy, something that she had never felt in her entire life. And the funny thing was that it felt like it belonged with her. Naruto contemplated this, but decided to put it in the back of her mind for now. Instead, she decided to ask her Dementor companions another question.

"Do you know who this Danzo person was that ordered those Anbu to kidnap me?" Her questions caused Morgana to her face Naruto once more.

" _You don't know who he is_ ", she asked. Naruto shook her head. " _Well, the man they serve is Danzo Shimura. He sent those men to kidnap you and bring you here. He was originally planning to reverse-summon you back to him after a while._ " Her response made Naruto nod in contemplation.

"You mean the Copper Pendant they put on me was going to send me back?"

" _Yes, it was. Now, let's not speak about the pendant anymore_ ", was Morgana's curt response. It was clear that she intended to keep it a secret until this whole conundrum had been cleared out.

"I see", Naruto began her next inquiry, and she would not admit it openly, but she actually feared the answer on this one. "Actually, I am wondering… did Aburame's memories tell you anything if a man named Hiruzen Sarutobi was involved in this plot at all?" Morgana gave Naruto a slightly confused look, wondering why Naruto was so tense.

" _No, from what I can tell from his memories; this Hiruzen Sarutobi, also known as the Third Hokage, had nothing to do with this plot_ ", she replied. Naruto felt some tension leave her body. She was slightly afraid that Hokage-jiji had been involved in this as well. While the memories of a subordinate were nothing completely conclusive; it was better than nothing. That actually reminded Naruto of an inquiry she had regarding the Dementor's curious abilities.

"Speaking of memories; how is it that you can read and see all of that Aburame's memories?" Naruto had a particular theory regarding how this was possible, but she needed to confirm this by asking them. Once more, she could tell that both Morgana and Opaque tensed at that question.

" _Oh, it is just one of our abilities that come with sucking up emotions. We can also get memories from them_ ", Morgana answered hastily.

" _Indeed, just one of our many abilities_ ", Opaque parroted with as much anxiety in her voice as in Morgana's. It was clear that they didn't want to tell Naruto. However, this time it seemed like they didn't wish to hide for a lack of trust; it seemed that they were afraid of scaring or alienating her from them. Considering that she was a girl, Naruto could understand why they were doing this. However, Naruto had already started piecing everything together. The ability to receive and read someone else's memories; the fact she specifically stated Aburame's name; and that said Aburame was seemingly 'kissed' by her, before he was turned into that living-dead state he was now currently in. Naruto imaginative mind reached one conclusion and could not help but voice it out loud.

"Morgana, Opaque… can you eat human souls?" Her questions caused it to become so quiet, that one would have heard a needle hit the ground. Both Morgana and Opaque were incredibly uncomfortable with the situation, and to some degree, Naruto thought she could understand why. "Please you two, tell me the truth. I promise that I will not run away. I know you must have seen what I contain through his memories, and I can assure you that being the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was no walk in the park. I have constantly been neglected and alienated for who and what I am. I know how difficult it is to be open, but please let me in", Naruto pleaded with the two ethereal shadows. Naruto couldn't help but cringe at the hypocrisy of her statement. Naruto herself had never really been able to open to anyone no matter what they said. True, she was going to break that chain earlier the same day, but that didn't change the fact that she still had failed to do it sooner. Maybe this was her learning and making up for her mistakes, by helping others with similar problems. She could tell both of them were hesitating, before both of them turned to Naruto. Morgana sighed before she started.

" _Yes, it is so. We Dementors are capable of sucking out and devouring the souls of our victims. It is known as a Dementor's Kiss. By essentially locking mouths with our victims or putting using enough pressure with our emotion extracting; we can pull out the souls from their bodies and through their mouths. Upon consuming it, we are fed on a whole new level, and we also gain access to their powers and memories. This helps us to get stronger and it is also what has deemed us as one of the darkest of magical creatures._ " Morgana finished her explanation with a sad tone, much to her and Opaque's surprise. How come they were so upset regarding what this girl thought? She and Opaque were even more shocked when Naruto came forward, and put her hand on Morgana's arm.

"Okay. Thank you for telling me. That must have been really hard for you to do", Naruto simply said. When she noticed the confused auras surrounding the two Dementors, she simply smiled lightly. "I carry a three hundred metre tall Nine-Tailed Fox within my body, and I am generally a weird kid that cannot come clean to any of her friends that she is actually a girl pretending to be a boy. We are not the only ones with difficult existences, you know?" Naruto's voice carried a sense of elation that even made the two Dementors feel elated. This was definitely news for them. Why would they be elated? No matter, that was for later. For now, they were just happy the girl wasn't running away screaming over their habits. That would just complicate things.

" _Listen, we need to gather the whole colony to be present for this meeting. But there are several thousand of us present in these ruins. Would you be so kind to wait while we find them all?_ " Opaque asked while floating in front of Naruto.

"For how long", Naruto asked in return.

" _You would wait for about five hours while we spread the word. There are several of us within these walls, but even more of us are in the forests you see by the ruins_ ", Morgana replied.

"Well, it is alright, I can wait. Could I possibly explore this place or something while I wait?"

" _I cannot show you the whole area of the ruins for security purposes, and even by brining you out of the Prison conscious like this; we are breaking protocol. However, I can take you to get something to eat. We have some food prepared for those humans we do keep around. I am not sure if it is great, but it is something_ ", Morgana replied uncertainly. It was clear she was just as confused about how to approach this particular situation as Naruto was.

Naruto on the other hand, was feeling a spark of warmth spreading through her at the mention of being given food. True, she also got a wave of caution, as she had experienced several of the villagers who had given her poisoned food. It was one of the very last times she had ever really trusted someone fully, and had sworn to not do so again, especially strangers. However, being around this place and standing in front of these shadows, these Dementors… it was like that fear was miniscule and more so a distant memory of the past at the moment. Why did she feel so safe around these beings? By all accounts she shouldn't. She promised herself to find out that mystery, along with every other mystery that had risen ever since she arrived.

"Yes please, I would be delighted to have some food", she responded, trying to be as polite as possible and using every trick she knew from whenever she had sneaked a peak at noble children when they interacted with others in Konoha. Morgana nodded and moved her arm to lead Naruto in a particular direction, but before the two of them departed; she turned to Opaque.

" _Opaque, go find the other Dementors. Spread the word that something unbelievable has happened that demands everyone's attention. Tell them that in five hours from now, at dusk; everyone must gather for Concilium Desperatio_ ", Morgana told her sternly. Opaque nodded, before she started floating around and flew into the sky with a shriek; her objective clear in mind. Morgana then turned to Naruto. " _Please, follow me_ ", she politely requested. This was a new experience for both of them, and both of them were curious to see where this experience would take them.

- **Four hours later, in Konoha-**

As the sun was setting in the horizon, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage of Konoha sat in his office, surrounded by paperwork; the one thing that demanded his time more than anything. How ironic was that? He was hailed as The Professor and God among Shinobi amongst the people of the Elemental Nations, and here he was defeated by something that costs less than 1 ryo per piece. However, right now he was not concerned regarding the damn paperwork. He was more concerned about the one person who he had repeatedly failed: the daughter of his former successor, Naruto Uzumaki. The girl that he had been tasked with to look after, to keep safe; and she had to suffer neglect, loneliness, abuse and torment from pretty much the entire village. No matter how Hiruzen tried to turn the situation around; he knew deep down that he had failed Minato in keeping his daughter safe. And now, to make matters worse, she had disappeared.

 **-Flashback-**

Hiruzen was sitting in his office, doing his paperwork as always. A couple of minutes ago, there had been some kind of a breakout on the street involving a mob. He was worried for Naruto's safety, but from what he could tell: the mob had been stopped. He hoped that the girl would be safe. He was also contemplating maybe that he should visit her later today. Unfortunately, as luck would have it; this was when he found out that she wasn't as safe as he hoped. For as soon as he started calming down; Anbu Operative Dog, real name Kakashi Hatake, slammed the door open and was swiftly in front of the Hokage Desk, before slamming his hands on the Hogake's desk desk, making paperwork fall off – both to the joy and dismay of the Kage in question.

"Hokage-sama, I need to talk to you along about Naruto-san, and who HE really is." Kakashi's emphasis one the word 'he' made the Hokage realise that Kakashi somehow knew the truth regarding Naruto's gender. This was an SS-rank secret only known to the Kage for a reason, and it seemed Kakashi understood the sensitive nature of the situation, or at least suspected it.

"Anbu, leave us", Hiruzen said with a firm tone. The next second, the Anbu positioned in Hiruzen's office had left, making him and Kakashi the only people present in the office. "Kakashi, you can remove your mask." Kakashi nodded and removed his mask, revealing that lower half of his face covered with a mask as well. The only identifiable features that were visible were his silver hair, and his eyes, alongside a scar that ran across Kakashi's left eye. His eyes were of different colours. His right eye was dark grey, but his left eye was red with three black tomoes around the pupil. This was the **Sharingan** , something that Kakashi had gained from his long lost friend, and wasn't a story Kakashi liked to discuss with others. "Alright Kakashi, how did you figure it out?" Hiruzen asked immediately after he was sure that there was no one else in the room. If Kakashi had figured it out, who else may know about this?

"Technically, it wasn't me. It was Pakkun." Now that made sense to Hiruzen, of course Pakkun would be able to tell. "I asked him to track down Naruto, and he only discovered a smell belonging to a girl who is just starting to develop. I am pretty certain that Naruto is a girl, but I have to ask you about this to confirm whether or not that is the case. So please tell me, because it is really important that I know: Is Naruto a girl", Kakashi asked with a firm tone, which made Hiruzen worried. The Sandaime could tell that Kakashi was genuinely serious about needing to identify Naruto's real gender to verify something. What had happened?

"Does anyone else know about this, Kakashi?" Kakashi shook his head, verifying that he was the only one who suspected or knew anything in this particular situation… well; hopefully he was the only one. "And the fewer that know the better: Yes Kakashi; it's true. However, I don't understand why you would barge into my office to learn about this", Hiruzen responded, trying to shake off the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

"I needed to ask, because by clarifying that Naruto is actually a girl; you also allowed me to verify with outmost certainty what has happened. I am sorry to Hokage-sama, but Naruto has disappeared!" Hiruzen stiffened and sat straight up at Kakashi's words.

"Kakashi, tell me every single detail", Hiruzen ordered. For the next few minutes, Kakashi would explain everything that happened when he and the other Anbu of Naruto's security detail interfered with the mob. Kakashi even summoned Pakkun to explain every detail about the smells that he had sensed in the alleyway. They described the situation regarding how they smelt an Aburame and the scents reminiscent of that of Anbu, hinting at Danzo's involvement, as well as the smell of a strange energy that was put on Naruto's person. After he and Kakashi had explained every detail they could in regards to what they found out about Naruto's disappearance; the Third Hokage interlaced his fingers together, his eyebrows scrunched together in contemplation.

"Hokage-sama, what do you make of this?" Kakashi asked after his explanation.

"Well, I would make sense if it was Danzo. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he organised this whole mob together in the first place, to cause a distraction in order to have his minions grab Naruto", Hiruzen responded while still contemplating all of the scenarios in his head.

"Hokage-sama, about the way they instantly disappeared… that instant teleportation… do you possibly think that-"

"-that Danzo has gotten his hands on the **Hirashin** ", Hiruzen finished for Kakashi. "No, I seriously doubt it. He has no access to the Namikaze compound, and therefore cannot get hold of the **Hirashin** formula. You have to be related to the Fourth in order to get in at all." Kakashi nodded, slightly elated at the answer. Not surprising, considering this was his sensei's most precious and deadliest work. He didn't want it to end up in the wrong hands, thereby tainting Minato-sensei's legacy. Yet, it didn't change the fact that Naruto was still missing.

"Then what do you think it was they used, Hokage-sama", Kakashi asked, now completely focused on getting Naruto back.

"Well, I would have most likely suggested it to be a highly advanced Fuinjustsu that can reverse-summon anyone. However, it may not be possible, considering that Pakkun stated that it smelled unfamiliar and not like any Fuinjutsu he had ever smelt before. And even if it was Fuinjutsu, that level of Fuinjutsu is too advanced for Danzo to perform accurately. He may take certain risks, but he would never use an untested product when Naruto, and by extension the Kyuubi would be at risk. I am not sure exactly what he used." Hiruzen was very confounded about the situation, before shaking his head. "Regardless, Naruto is missing, and we cannot waste time that could be spent on finding her." Kakashi nodded and stood up straight.

"Hai, Hokage-sama – what should I do? Do you want me to go after Danzo?"

"No, we cannot be fully sure that it is Danzo, so we cannot go after him directly, but that doesn't mean we are going to look anyway. Bring out your dogs and have them search. Instruct every Anbu to look for Naruto Uzumaki. Deploy any Hyuuga available for duty, and tell them search every inch of this village with their **Byakugan**. Tell them that if they fail to comply and not do their jobs to the fullest, I will consider it sedition if not an act of treason. Understood, Anbu Operative Dog?" Hiruzen's firm tone carried through the office, proving why he was chosen to be the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha.

"Hai", Kakashi complied while putting on his mask. He was about to depart when Hiruzen interrupted him.

"Oh, and Dog, one more thing: Naruto is a boy, and do not allow anyone else to think anything different", he said firmly; his message clear to Kakashi regarding the secret of Naruto's actual gender. Kakashi nodded, before he departed to search for Naruto.

 **-Flashback end-**

He had been informed about Naruto's disappearance four hours ago. Now, Hiruzen was just waiting for Kakashi or anyone else to come in with any report regarding Naruto's whereabouts. Damn that Danzo, why couldn't he just leave Naruto alone? His underhanded methods kept getting worse and worse. Hiruzen was well aware that Danzo probably hadn't disbanded Root like he was ordered to do. Danzo could not be trusted anymore, and as such, Hiruzen had to remove Danzo's private little army. He also had a strong suspicion that his old rival had been behind that assassination attempt against Hiruzen, when he was just being reintroduced into the seat of Hokage. Hiruzen would love to bring this to the Council, but sadly the only proof he had was a smell and an eyewitness of a few ninja jumping into an alleyway. All of it was conjectures at best. Truthfully, he wasn't really concerned with Danzo's disregard for orders at the moment; he was more concerned about Naruto's wellbeing. He couldn't help but be worried in regards to the secret of her gender as well. True, Kakashi had the help of his dog Pakkun, and that could be contained. But if one dog could do it, why couldn't another with highly advanced senses? The Inuzuka Clan was highly proficient trackers, and some of them may be able to pick up Naruto's developing body. Hiruzen sighed at the situation that forced him to hide Naruto's gender in the first place.

The reason he had hid Naruto's real gender was because after Naruto was announced as the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi; Hiruzen was clever enough to realise his mistake once he saw the incredibly poor reactions from practically every person in the Council Chambers. While he had just enforced the law that forbid them from speaking about Naruto's status relating to Kyuubi in any way; he was aware that it would only be a matter of time before Naruto's relation to the Nine-Tailed Fox would come out, to the older generation at least. It was bad enough she was the Jinchuuriki, but he was even more afraid of that fact that Naruto was also a girl. Hiruzen may have been older, but he was far from stupid, much less forgetful. He remembered how many vulnerable kunoichi would be handled on the battlefield or in captivity. Now, this might be an extreme comparison to what seems to be a relatively average situation. However, the situation surrounding Naruto was anything but your average orphan who lost her parents. And after the bloodthirst he had seen in the Council Chambers; Hiruzen was inclined to treat the situation as if it was an upcoming battle.

Therefore, Hiruzen changed the records of Naruto's actual gender, and even put on a seal on her back that would project a genjutsu of her being a boy to further protect her. It was a good temporary solution, as the people on the Orphanage were only children and civilians, and would be fooled by Naruto's disguise. However, Hiruzen was afraid that the seal would be detected by Anbu or other Shinobi once Naruto started interacting with them, such as when she would be going to the Academy. As such, he informed her of her actual gender and consequently removed the seal when she was given her new apartment. In theory, it was safer to not carry the seal and instead try to hide her developing body from the eyes of those around her. A genjutsu may throw some people off, but in other cases it may in fact be a red flag that there is something hidden. Considering Naruto's poor reputation; it would essentially invite everyone to attack her, stating she was hiding her real monstrous form, forcing Hiruzen to reveal Naruto's actual gender.

He knew what the revelation of her gender could and probably would bring. Not only would it risk people starting to include rape along the many torments they put her through; but it would also invite the power-hungry elements to try to capitalise on this. One of the motivations behind keeping Naruto's real gender hidden was because people such as Danzo would have suggested putting the girl into the breeding program. The Civilian Council would have agreed, and some of the more ambitious clan heads would have tried to breed stronger bloodline from the poor girl. She would have been a breeding factory for child-soldiers that she would never get to meet. Hiruzen couldn't let such a fate bestow Minato's child, or any child for that matter, so he kept it secret. He just hoped it stayed that way, and in the case Danzo did have Naruto in his possession; he prayed that Danzo would not find out that Naruto was actually a girl before she was rescued.

The thought made him cringe a bit. It wasn't like he was completely innocent in this either. He remembered when the girl had been brought before him. Aside from hiding her gender, he didn't do that much in the beginning. Actually, if Hiruzen would be honest with himself; he was also ambitious. He needed something to focus on after the death of his beloved wife, Biwako. And at the time, the idea of moulding the perfect weapon in his wife's name sounded brilliant at the time. So he started setting up a scenario where the Jinchuuriki would be emotionally starved, and would practically do anything for love and acknowledgement, and would thereby be easily manipulated by Hiruzen. He stationed a few Anbu to watch over her, but only to keep the girl from being assassinated by some of the villagers. He strictly told them to not interact with her. Hiruzen didn't even care about any of the reports about Naruto, as long as she was alive. Deep down, he blamed Naruto for the death of his wife, simply because of the association to the Kyuubi, but at that point, he didn't care. Naruto was going to be the weapon of Konoha, and she was going to sacrifice herself for the benefit of Konoha. Perhaps she would even be put into the breeding program later on.

However, this changed when he got the news that she was at the hospital from the distraught Anbu Operatives Dog and Cat. Hiruzen had rushed to the hospital, not knowing what to think. When he saw Naruto, laying there on the bed; his world crumbled underneath him. She was so skinny and so frail. He had not really paid attention to her whenever he visited her at the orphanage. To him, he was just there briefly to establish a connection with the girl. But now, he had no such ambitions, and his eyes were wide open to the frail and malnourished child in front of him. He had never intended his actions to hurt her this badly. Afterwards, he asked for the full description of what had happened at the Konoha Orphanage, and what he heard horrified him. Not only because it was disgusting, that such a thing happened to a young child, but even more so that he allowed that disgusting practice to happen. That night, when he was alone in his bed chambers; Hiruzen cried for the first time since his wife had died.

Hiruzen had realised that he had pretty much become like Danzo, as he had allowed himself to be swallowed by his own bitterness and despair. He projected it on to Naruto, because she was an easy target. However, it didn't make it right, so he changed his ways and started trying to redeem himself. He helped Naruto the best ways he could. He gave her an apartment; he spent time with her; he listened to her; he gave her money for food. And once he had stopped considering her to be 'just a weapon', and stopped listening to his bitterness; Naruto hade swiftly become like a granddaughter to him. He loved her, and she loved him. However, over the past several months, Naruto had gotten colder to Hiruzen. It wasn't much, but it was noticeable to a man like the Third Hokage. Hiruzen knew that something was wrong, and naturally he got worried. He also knew that Naruto, despite her pretending to be an idiot, was an incredibly intelligent girl. If said intelligence was allowed to bloom, she would be one of the deadliest forces to reckon with on the field. However, with this came the downside that it became more difficult to hide things from her. He was curious what exactly she could have figured out, and wondered if this was the reason she seemed to grow a sense of distrust towards him. That lack of trust struck hard into Hiruzen's very being, as it reminded him of how he had treated her so horribly. He wished that he could get his beloved granddaughter back.

His thought process was interrupted by the knocking on his door. The door opened and Kakashi Hatake came inside. He stepped in front of Hiruzen who looked at him expectantly.

"Dog, report what you have found", Hiruzen commanded, secretly hoping that he was going to learn that Naruto was found and okay, only to feel those hopes be shattered by Kakashi shaking his head.

"I am sorry Hokage-sama, but we couldn't find anything. Naruto is nowhere to be found within the village, and there is no trace, whether it be scents or chakra, to be found anywhere", Kakashi replied, his voiced laced with regret. Hiruzen felt his world come undone once more, as he let his back hit the back of his chair. Why would this have to happen to the poor girl? Minato would never have allowed this to happen. Hiruzen wondered to himself at times if The Fourth Hokage would have still gone through with the sealing if he knew this would happen, or if he would have just let village die.

At that moment, there was another knock on the door. Hiruzen, knowing he had to remain strong in front of his objects, put on a strong appearance. Hiruzen and Kakashi looked at the door that opened up, and saw the face of Hiruzen's young female secretary poking her head through the door, before she made eye contact with the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, the council has been gathered and wishes to see you", she said a bit shyly. One of Hiruzen's eyebrows rose in confusion. Why would the council ask for him? Then he realised it was probably to do with that blasted mob. Hiruzen sighed and simply nodded to the secretary, who nodded in return before returning to her desk. Kakashi gave his bow before using **Shunshin** to swiftly depart. Afterwards, Hiruzen made his way to the Council Chambers to face the music.

 **-In the Konoha Council Chambers-**

The doors to the Council Chambers opened, and Hiruzen Sarutobi went straight in and sat down at the seat, designated for the Hokage, in the centre of all the seats in the Chambers, as his seat representing absolute authority. Though, Hiruzen felt annoyed that this very authority was being challenged simply by this meeting being called without his permission.

"Why have you once more tried to supersede my position as Hokage by calling in yet another meeting that I did not authorise", Hiruzen asked as he looked around the chamber. The chamber was filled with seats, with many high-ranking members of the Konoha Society occupying them. However, the room could also be broken down into three parts.

First, there were the people sitting on his right. These people were all part of the Civilian Council. They handled the matters strictly revolving civilians and as such, became the representatives of the civilian members of Konoha. And unfortunately, they were also the most intrusive people that one could possibly imagine, as they seemed to forget that this was a Shinobi Village. It didn't help that they were also the biggest Naruto haters around Konoha to date, and many of the incidents relating to Naruto could be traced back to this group.

On Hiruzen's left side was the second part of the Konoha Council: the Shinobi Council. This council mostly consisted of the Clan Heads of Konoha. They were in charge of dealing and providing council regarding all Shinobi-related matters. Among these Clan Heads, most of them were okay with Naruto and some even hoped the best for the Jinchuuriki. However, there were those that were strictly against Naruto, most notably Fugaku from the Uchiha Clan. Or more specifically against Naruto having freedom fit as any regular person. Though it was likely that Fugaku wanted Naruto as a weapon for the Uchiha Clan to use, which considering the tense relationship between the villagers and the Uchiha clan overall, was definitely a bad thing.

And finally, around the centre of the room and around Hiruzen's seat, sat the Elders: Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and of course Danzo Shimura himself. These were the closest councillors to Hiruzen and were meant to offer wisdom and advice, though it seemed they spent more time trying to undermine Hiruzen's position than giving any sort of wisdom these days.

"Well, we felt the need to call this council to order, because of the unjust imprisonment of several members of the civilian population, alongside a number of clan members", said the arrogant voice of Kazuo Matsumoto from the Civilian Council, completely ignoring what the Hokage was actually saying.

"We wouldn't have agreed to this stupid idea, but sadly some our clan members are involved, so we have to deal with it", said the blunt voice of a woman from the Shinobi Council with brown spiky hair, slit pupils, and fang marks on her cheek. Overall, there was an animalistic appearance about her. This was Tsume Inuzuka, the Matriarch of the Inuzuka Clan, and it was clear she did not want to be here.

"You are talking about the mob that was captured by Anbu earlier today I assume", Hiruzen stated, confirming his suspicion regarding the nature of this meeting.

"Indeed, we demand that they poor souls that have been arrested are released at once", said another voice on the council, this time coming from a wealthy man named Kenji Nakamura, who controlled parts of the business district.

"Motion denied: these people were clearly seen attacking a civilian and a minor at that", Hiruzen stated firmly. This caused uproar among the civilian council, while the Shinobi Council sat quietly and impatiently.

"Clearly, those charges are fabricated. They are not guilty of doing anything wrong", an incredibly skinny woman named Chika Mori screamed from the Civilian side.

"Will you please be quiet, I am trying to nap", said the tired voice of a man with black hair that was tied up in a spiky ponytail. His face had two scars on the right side of his face along with a goatee. Furthermore, he had a deer skin jacket above his flak jacket. This was Shikaku Nara, head of the Nara clan and Jounin Commander. "It's clear that the people who were taken committed the crime. The crime is not less valid, just because the victim was Naruto." Shikaku was annoyed that once more he was called away from his precious home and bed, all for the sake of the bitching of the bloody civilians who took themselves way too seriously.

"Unacceptable! That dem- brat is merely playing out to be the victim, when in reality, he surely forced the poor civilians to defend themselves", shouted Kizashi Haruno amongst the civilians. The voices on the civilian council agreed loudly, making many of the Clan Heads regret ever attending this meeting.

"Motion is denied! Now, is there anything else on the agenda or this literally wasting all of our time?" Hiruzen's voice was filled with the lack of patience he had for the sheer arrogance of the Civilian Council.

"This is an outrage! Doesn't anyone here see that those arrested are the victims here, while the real criminal is walking free?!" The Civilian Council just wouldn't give up.

"That's right! Where is the brat anyway? He should be here, facing his charges!"

"Anbu, bring the dem- brat here so that it can be punished for its crimes!"

"Oh will you give it a rest", said an irritated man with a strong jaw and blue eyes without pupils. His hair was ash blonde and spiky on the top of his head, with a long ponytail that went down his back. This was Inoichi Yamanaka, head of the Yamanaka Clan and a highly respected member of the Intelligence Division. "Naruto Uzumaki may be involved in this event, but only as the victim. You are only shouting theories and the victim is not required to be here. Furthermore, you do not have the authority to order any Anbu around. Only the Hokage does." Inoichi's voice left no room for argument, and the rest of Clan Head silently thanked for that. They had better things to do than listen to this crap.

"I couldn't agree more, thank you Inoichi", stated Hiruzen, pleased to find a perfect hole to get out of this. "And since there is no need for this meeting to proceed, I call the end of-"

"Is it true that the Jinchuuriki has disappeared?" To Hiruzen's immense surprise; it was Danzo who spoke. Why would Danzo bring up the situation about Naruto, if he was the one who had taken him? Knowing him; it wouldn't add up, unless…

"What do you mean, Danzo? Hokage-sama, what is Danzo talking about", asked a man with long dark-brown, borderline black hair and white, featureless eyes. This was Hiashi Hyuuga, head of the Hyuuga Clan, which was renowned for its Doujutsu, the **Byakugan**. Danzo's statement had gotten the attention of everyone in the room. Hiruzen's mind went into overdrive until he came to the best conclusion regarding Danzo, just before he decided to respond to Hiashi's inquiry.

"I am sad to say it is true, Hiashi. Naruto Uzumaki has been kidnapped by unknown enemies." Hiruzen then started explaining the general details of the event, only leaving out the detail about the Aburame and the possibility of it being Root. Instead he spun the story to make it sound like the kidnappers were pretending to be Anbu. After he was done, silence dominated the chambers, before the Civilian side burst out into cheers.

"What a glorious day! The brat is finally gone!"

"We should spread the good news around the village; let them all know that the terror is over!"

"Let's throw a celebration, and make today a day of celebration when the demon finally disappeared!"

"Anbu", Hiruzen's voice stopped the cheering, as a single Anbu member appeared behind one of the Council Members and swiftly stabbed him through the heart, before removing his body. The Civilian Council was shocked to see one of their fellow council members die.

"Hokage-sama, why did you do that?" Kazuo Matsumoto asked.

"He broke my law about referring Naruto as a demon", Hiruzen responded with a firm tone.

"Surely you can remove that law, Hokage-Sama. The brat is gone. You don't need to put up that foolish law to appease it anymore", said Chika Mori. At this word, Hiruzen's eyes snapped. They thought the law was there to appease the demon? This question was answered upon seeing the rest of the Civilian Council nod in agreement to her statement. To say that Hiruzen was disgusted by this was a gross understatement.

"You fucking idiots", a brown-haired man with black eyes screamed at the council in rage. This man was Fugaku Uchiha, head of the Uchiha Clan, which was infamous for the **Sharingan** , another notorious Doujutsu. "We have lost our only Jinchuuriki. This means that we have no power that is keeping the Four of the Five Big Shinobi Countries away from attacking us!" Fugaku was beyond angry at this blatant disregard.

"We don't need that brat; we have got the might of Konoha. We have all of our clans and Doujutus to keep us safe from any Shinobi Village foolish enough to attack us", stated a very hefty councilman who had made it his job to make sure Naruto could not by anything at his shops for a reasonable price.

"You may not realise this, but not having the Jinchuuriki is actually very detrimental to us. It leaves us open for those who do have Jinchuuriki. Don't forget that Jinchuuriki are powerhouses that can crush armies if they know how to control their Bijuus", stated Hiashi with a very firm tone.

"The fact that you wish to celebrate the pup's disappearance is not only sickening; it is also incredibly reckless. This is not something that can get spread to the public", Tsume reprimanded them.

"Forget that brat, you ignorant mutt; we don't need him or the thing he carries. I say good riddance", exclaimed Kizashi. Tsume growled angrily at the arrogance exuding from him and the rest of the Civilian Council. "Now, I suggest we take this good news to the streests, and-". Kizashi's speech was stopped by an incredibly powerful Killing Intent that was filling the whole room. All of the people turned towards the source, which turned out to be HIruzen.

"I have just informed you that Naruto Uzumaki, who is a young boy barely eight years old, as well as our Jinchuuriki, was captured by unknown men pretending to Anbu Operatives, and you want to run out into the streets and celebrate this?" Hiruzen was beyond infuriated at this point, and his voice was as cold as ice.

"Everyone listen to me, because I will only say it once. If you try to interrupt me, I will send you to Ibiki. Now, listen well. No one will utter a single syllable to anyone outside of this place. If anyone spreads the word that Naruto is gone, I will not only send you to Ibiki for a long session; I will also execute you and your entire family line, as well as liquidate any properties you may own." The Council Members widened their eyes at the Hokage's words.

"No one will speak of this. From now on, I am declaring Naruto's kidnapping an S-rank secret. Anbu and Jounin will be notified that they are to keep an eye out for anything even resembling a clue to Naruto's whereabouts, and if they find anything they will bring it to me. I will contact Jiraiya who will use his spy network to try to find Naruto's whereabouts as well. And one more thing: if anyone knows about anything that can give us a clue regarding Naruto's current whereabouts, and chooses to keep it hidden; I will consider it an act of treason. The Council is dismissed!" After that, he dropped the Killing Intent, and promptly left the Chambers. For the first time in many years, the members of the council did not see the Grandfather who loved everyone in the Village; they saw the man who was declared the Third Hokage, and who had also been declared as God of Shinobi. And it was pretty damn intimidating seeing said God flare his true power.

 **-Back in the Hokage's Office**

Hiruzen entered his office. As he entered, he swiftly ordered his Anbu to find and bring Anbu Operatives Dog, Crow and Weasel to his office. A couple minutes later, those three men were now bowing in front of their Hokage.

"You requested us", asked Dog. Hiruzen nodded at his inquiry.

"Yes, I did. I have just returned from the Council Meeting. All of the Anbu should be aware that the kidnapping of Naruto Uzumaki is now an S-Rank Secret, but there is also another subject I want to discuss with you. I need you three for a secret mission that will hopefully guide us to Naruto.

"Do you think that Danzo has him", Crow asked with a sense of urgency in his voice. Naruto was in danger, for Kami's sake.

"No, I do not", Hiruzen responded, catching all three of them by surprise.

"Hokage-sama, everything about the perpetrators indicated that it was Danzo and his Root-nin who kidnapped Naruto", Dog commented after a few moments of silence.

"Allow me to explain; just now at the council meeting, the revelation of Naruto being missing was brought up not by me, but by Danzo himself. This has made re-evaluate the situation at hand", Hiruzen responded.

"With all respect Hokage-sama, but how does this prove that Danzo does not have Naruto? If anything, it could stir panic and create a diversion for him to get away with Naruto." Crow was utterly confused about where the Hokage was going with this.

"Yes Crow, but Danzo would gain more if no one brought it up. Now, he doesn't just have my Anbu chasing him, but also all of the Jounin and Clan Heads will be on watch after Naruto. By bringing it up, he is risking putting attention on himself. Besides, I noticed something in his voice. He was genuinely wondering if we had any clue about where Naruto may be", Hiruzen explained to the three men.

"So, are you saying that Danzo had nothing to do with Naruto's disappearance?" Weasel inquired.

"No, I still think Danzo was responsible for Naruto's initial kidnapping and disappearance, but something went wrong along the way. I am sure he was responsible for sending Naruto to some particular location, only for the plan to hit some sort of roadblock", Hiruzen elaborated.

"So, you're saying he is guilty of the kidnapping, but didn't succeed in ultimately getting Naruto", Dog clarified and Hiruzen nodded.

"Precisely, and now, we get to the reason why I asked you here. I know this is much to ask for, but I want the three of you to pay extra attention to Root Activity. Even though they are supposed to be disbanded, I am sure Danzo has kept them around. Alongside keeping an eye open for Naruto while on mission, I want you to find out whatever technique it was that sent Naruto away; and then I want you to either pinpoint his location or the method to get to said location", Hiruzen commanded. The three Shinobi nodded, and got out to begin their mission. Naruto may be missing, but with their collective effort; they would find him soon enough. Upon being alone, Hiruzen tightened his fists in anger and sadness.

' _Naruto, wherever you are… I am so sorry_ ', Hiruzen thought to himself as a tear slid down his old, wrinkly cheek.

 **-In the Root Chambers-**

Within the Root Chambers, Danzo was doing everything to not break the table he was sitting at. It may be considered hypocritical of a man who preaches emotions as worthless for shinobi, and feel rage, but he honestly didn't care. He had just returned from the Council Chambers, and during the meeting; he felt that he had to make it known that the Jinchuuriki was missing. Not only may it take away attention from him, but the main point is that will get them to try to find the Jinchuuriki, which could work in Danzo's favour. Allow the others to do the dirty work, and then Danzo will sweep in and grab the Kyuubi at the proper moment. He sighed to himself at the whole situation. Things had gotten horribly wrong with the extraction of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki. Everything had started the way he planned. The mob he had managed to stir through various underhanded means had charged after the Uzumaki brat, forcing his protective detail to interfere. Then, to make things better; the boy had rushed away from the fighting instead of staying near the Anbu Operatives, thus allowing his Root-nin to send the Jinchuuriki away to The Prison, while being seen as little as possible. When the operative that was meant to report it came back, if Danzo was going to be honest; he felt something akin to joy at the pieces falling so perfectly together. Finally, the Kyuubi was in his grasp. He just had to wait for fifteen minutes, and then he could finally claim the object that would allow him to create the Konoha he had envisioned. With the Kyuubi subservient to Danzo, and Danzo's will alone; the title of Hokage- nay, the world itself, was his for to claim.

For the longest fifteen minutes of his life, Danzo waited until the moment when he could summon the boy arrived. It didn't matter if the brat was traumatised or in that vegetative state. As long as he had Kyuubi, Danzo was fine. Though personally, Danzo would admit he would rather have the boy traumatised. It would serve as a good way to motivate and control the boy, by essentially holding The Prison above his head as a punishment if he ever disobeyed any commands. After the time-limit was up, Danzo uttered the activation phrase to the Iron Pendant, and instantly the brat wearing the Copper Pendant would be brought to him… only that it wasn't the boy.

On the floor in the open area of the Root Chambers, where Danzo was meant to reverse summon the Jinchuuriki, surrounded by other Root-nin that would instantly grab the boy, and sedate him if necessary; laid the body of Tatsuma Aburame. He was wearing the Copper Pendant that was supposed to be around the boy's neck. He was in a vegetative state, and as such, no memories could be gleamed from him, but you didn't need to be a genius to make an educated guess. Nothing like this had ever happened before, so it stood to chance that the brat had probably removed the pendant and put it around Tatsuma's neck. However, that was also unlikely, considering that whatever it was that had clearly put Tatsuma in this state, most likely had also affected the boy. So the boy most likely wouldn't have the energy or power to do something like this. Furthermore, why would the boy know how that would work? It didn't add up, even if it was a possibility. This in turn led Danzo to the second possibility; someone else had put the pendant around Tatsuma's neck, which was definitely the worse option. Danzo kept thinking about what could possibly be on the other end, something he had asked himself many times when experimenting with the pendants. Never before had these beings changed the wearer of the pendant. There were many times when not everyone Danzo sent would return, but at least the one who had originally worn the pendant always came back, still wearing it.

So in the end, this meant that either the Jinchuuriki had been the one rare exception, and switched the pendant with another person, or whatever it is that is capable of defeating at least A-Rank Shinobi, now has the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki in their possession. Danzo's tightened his grip around his cane. He would not let this insolence continue. He would find a way to get the Kyuubi back, and he would make the creatures responsible for this pay dearly.

 **-Meanwhile, in Azkaban-**

Naruto was following Morgana through the ruins, as they were heading towards the designated meeting location where all of the Dementors were gathering. The halls the two were walking through were surprisingly well kept, considering that, well; these were ruins. As Morgana had promised earlier, she had taken Naruto to get something to eat, which was just a simple dish consisting of something called 'scrambled eggs', something Naruto had never heard of before. She had no idea how they produced it, but as she could detect no real deceit from the Dementors as of yet; Naruto decided it was probably safe to eat it. It was not as tasty as Ramen obviously, but it was still rather nice, especially considering that Naruto rarely got to eat anything else.

After the meal, the conversation between the two of them had been a bit awkward, considering that Morgana didn't want to say anything else regarding the nature of Dementors. It had nothing to do with a lack of trust; it was more so that she wanted to wait until the meeting later on. Of course, this had the effect that there was very little to talk about, so after a while, they just started talking about random topics. Surprisingly, a while into the conversation; Naruto actually felt calmer. This rarely happened with people unless she had known them for some time, and yet this mysterious figure had somehow managed to make her feel comfortable enough to discuss some of the things about herself, including about her friendship with the Ichirakus. Unknown to Naruto, her Dementor companion was having similar thoughts at that very same moment.

Morgana had not expected to speak so freely and to feel so… elated to make a guess, around this young girl. Whenever she would talk about the Ichirakus, Ayame and Teuchi or her Anbu friends, or even that shy girl; Naruto would glow and her whole being would be filled with happiness, and she would wear a genuine smile on her face. And for some reason, it made Morgana feel happy to see Naruto smile like that. This elation reminded her of the elation she felt when Naruto was accepting of the Dementor ability of sucking out and consuming souls. Morgana, as well as Opaque, had been afraid earlier about telling Naruto about their ability to consume souls. Not because they were ashamed of their abilities, no they were who they were, and that was it. The problem was surprisingly Naruto herself. For some reason, Morgana, and most likely Opaque as well, had felt an instant connection to this girl. Maybe it was the fact that she was so unique and was also the first human to have ever been able to understand the words of a Dementor, and also accept a Dementor as something of an equal. Regardless of what it was, both of them felt an incredible connection to this girl in a short amount of time. Even during the short fifteen minutes they had spent with the girl at that point; they still felt that connection with her.

It was like her presence just immediately made them like her. And spending more time with her, Morgana had just felt closer to the girl. When Morgana had heard some of the things that the people of Konoha had done to her; it actually made Morgana angry. She had never been angry over the treatment of a human before. Sure, she had been generally disappointed and maybe slightly dejected at it; but never angry or even sad. This girl was really an interesting one, causing Dementors to feel more emotions beyond the usual apathy. Morgana took a look at the spiky-haired blonde girl. While she was very curious to know what it was that made Naruto so special that she could understand her tongue; she was more concerned that this would not end with a bad result for the colony. For if it did, then… Morgana shook her head, as she didn't want to think about it. She hoped nothing bad happened to Naruto during this meeting.

Naruto and Morgana soon approached a big opening that lead to the courtyard, which was apparently where this meeting would take place. By this opening, Opaque was floating in wait for the two of them to arrive.

" _Opaque, did you get everyone_ ", Morgana asked.

" _Yes, everyone is here. It took some time as some of them were in the town on the other side of the sea. Nevertheless, everyone is gathered, and they are all ready for this meeting to begin_ ", Opaque replied with a nod. Morgana then turned her face down towards Naruto.

" _Alright Naruto, are you ready_ ", Morgana asked the young girl beside her.

"As ready as I'll ever be", Naruto responded with a nod and took a deep breath. The Dementors nodded. Morgana wanted to tell Naruto that everything was going to be just fine, but the truth was that she had no idea what would happen next. The only thing left now was to face the music.

Morgana and Opaque guided Naruto into the courtyard. To say that Naruto was surprised was an understatement. The courtyard was impressive in size. There were traces of stone that had been paving the ground, and now it was covered mostly by grass instead. Around these stones, there were half-ruined stone cloisters around with a colonnade running through it. At the other side from where Naruto came, there were two ruined structures that resembled towers standing near some kind of exit. However, it wasn't the courtyard that caught her by surprise. It was the fact that over every inch of this courtyard, whether on the main opened area, within the cloisters, on top of the roofs of the cloisters, near the ruined towers, the only exit aside from the one Naruto just came from; there were Dementors. Black torn and tattered cloaks were floating all around her. There had to be several thousands of them at least, and they were all staring straight at her and her Dementor companions.

The Dementors hissed amongst themselves and breathed heavily. It seemed they were muttering amongst themselves. Most of them seemed to be surprised that they were being gathered by Opaque, only for her and Morgana to bring out a young human girl that was barely eight years old. Naruto didn't blame them; she would be confused as well. Heck, she was confused right now anyway. Naruto, Morgana and Opaque stopped in the centre of the courtyard, and it was at this point that two Dementors floated forward out from the crowds.

" _The Concilium Desperatio is now in session. Morgana, Opaque; for what reason have you brought us here today? We haven't had a full council meeting for over almost two millennia, and that was when the Rabbit Goddess and the Sage of Six Paths, who both changed the dynamics with the introduction of chakra_ ", asked one of the two Dementors. Its voice was just as icy as the voices belonging to Naruto's two companions, though its voice sounded a bit deeper, albeit still feminine.

" _Apraxia, we have brought you here for a very important reason. One that may in fact change the way we live our lives_ ", Opaque responded, earning confused glances from their fellow Dementors.

 _"_ _I presume you mean this girl? Exactly how could one human child possibly change the way our current routines_ ", inquired the other one, while turning her gaze towards Naruto. Her voice had a rather operatic quality to it, which seemed to almost coexist with the icy tones that layered the voice. Morgana floated forward with a confident stride to her.

" _I say so, Leoni, because this human girl is capable of understanding our native tongue._ " The moment she uttered those words, shock appeared underneath everyone's hoods. Several mutterings and shouts were heard, asking themselves what it all possibly meant, and wondering if this was some sort of bizarre prank.

" _Silence_ ", the Dementor called Leoni shouted to the others. It took a while, but soon the whole courtyard was quiet. " _Are you absolutely sure, Morgana? How can you be sure that she can understand you?_ " Leoni's voice was laced with doubt and confusion, as she turned towards Naruto, and while no features were shown; Naruto could have sworn that her eyebrows would have been furrowed if she could see them. " _Does it mean that she can understand us right now?_ "

"Yes, and it is rude to speak of someone else like they are not there, when they are standing right in front of you", Naruto said with one of her eyes twitching in irritation. People kept nagging at her not having manners, so why should others get away without reprimanding? "You know, I am starting to suspect that Dementors are just naturally rude to outsiders." It may be considered stupid for someone to make fun of Dementors right in front of their faces, but Naruto would not stand for these insulting manners. She wasn't going to be a push-over anymore, dammit. Besides, Naruto didn't feel the fear a regular person would have felt in this situation. Meanwhile, Leoni's face reeled back in shock as she was staring at Naruto.

" _You understood me…_ " Leoni whispered, but it seemed to be heard all over the silent courtyard, filled with bewildered Dementors. This human girl could understand the Dementor language. Dementors had always been able to understand humans, and whenever they had spoken to them; they would never seem to expect them to be able to have any form of communication. Neither had anyone ever been able to distinguish the noises the Dementors made as different words. And here was a human girl that not only could distinguish those words, but also be able to communicate with them effortlessly. Not to mention that this girl seemed to have no fear in her whatsoever at being around thousands upon thousands of Dementors. How is this possible?

" _Yes, she really can understand you_ ", said Morgana. Those words managed to snap most of them out of their shocked states. " _Now, before anything else: everyone, allow me to introduce you all to Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto, allow me to introduce you to the Concilium Desperatio. This is Apraxia and Leoni._ " Naruto nodded towards them, while Apraxia and Leoni nodded back out of pure habit, as they were still slightly shocked about this situation. Morgana then stretched herself out a bit, to make her presence more noticeable. " _It would probably be better if Opaque and I simply explained what happened._ " The Dementor called Apraxia straightened herself at these words.

" _That would be reasonable. Please do explain for the Concilium Desperatio what happened_ ", Apraxia agreed. Morgana simply nodded, before she started.

" _Some of you may recall that for the past year, a man named Danzo Shimura has frequently sent people to one of our prison areas. You may all remember how this callous man has sent men, women and even children in order to test the artefacts he possesses._ " Several Dementors started hissing at the name, as they remembered him from the memories of the Shinobis and Civilians, whose souls they had absorbed. The greed of the man was notorious amongst the Dementors, and many of them had quickly gotten annoyed and downright hateful towards the old, warmongering fossil. Dementors may not care much for human lives, but they did despise being part of some old man's plot for world domination. They had bad experiences with that as it was. _"Well, about five hours ago, Danzo sent five Shinobi from his Organisation Root along with Naruto here. It appears that Naruto was in fact abducted and sent here with the intention of being sent back to Danzo after the fifteen minute time-limit was up, as she was also wearing the Copper Pendant_ ", Morgana explained, letting her words sink in amongst the crowd that was listening intently.

" _When the five Root Shinobis arrived alongside Naruto here; we swiftly dealt with them alongside Pirouette_ ", Opaque continued the explanation. " _Morgana and I devoured two of the souls to obtain their information regarding their intentions with young Naruto here. As it turns out; Naruto here is something called a Jinchuuriki. From what the memories told us; it is the term used to describe someone who has been used to seal a demon within them._ " There was quite a bit of murmur at these words. " _Pirouette carried away the other three unconscious Root members to the storage, while Morgana and I discussed what to do about Naruto._ "

" _It was at this point in our conversation that…_ " Morgana started, but stopped herself briefly as to find the right words.

" _What did young Naruto do exactly_ ", Leoni asked.

" _She simply… joined the conversation. Upon confronting her about it and performing a few tests; we both confirmed that Naruto is capable of understanding our language_ ", Morgana finished her explanation. Leoni and Apraxia nodded, before they turned to Naruto, who was trying to stand in a relaxed position, but her eyes betrayed her confusion and curiosity.

" _Naruto Uzumaki, right_ ", Leoni confirmed, to which Naruto nodded.

"Yes, that's right, but you can call me Naruto. I don't mind." Leoni nodded before she proceeded, her operatic, almost aristocratic voice, was heard all over the courtyard.

" _Alright, Naruto: it is clear from your responses that you can fully understand whatever we are saying. What is the technique you are employing, which allows you to distinguish our words so accurately?_ " At Leoni's question, it seemed that everybody in the courtyard was leaning forward with immense interest to hear Naruto's answer.

"Well, I didn't use any technique of any kind. I may have a giant Nine-Tailed Fox within my gut, but that doesn't mean that I am capable of anything. Truth is that I don't know any techniques involving chakra at all, as I am constantly denied from the Shinobi libraries, and I have no one to teach me. The only thing I have learned is to activate my chakra and to flare it."

Naruto took a deep breath before continuing. "After the Root members were defeated, I simply noticed that I could hear Morgana and Opaque talk to each other. I clearly heard words being spoken between them. I have been able to communicate with them, and now you as well, without any problems. To me, it doesn't sound like you are speaking in a different language at all", Naruto responded as she was shrugging her shoulders. The Dementors were now even more stupefied. Confused shouting and murmuring broke out amongst the crowd, as they all tried to make sense of the situation at hand. Out of all the possibilities that came to mind; this was not one of them.

This little girl, named Naruto Uzumaki, who was wearing worn and torn clothes that clearly did not fit her; could understand them naturally? To her, it was as if they never spoke another language?! What on Earth did this mean? Confusion and curiosity was prevalent amongst everyone at the courtyard, and the voices just got louder. Naruto got worried at this point, as her experiences with large crowds getting like this never ended positively for her. True, she felt safer with these Dementors than the villagers, but it was still an instinct for Naruto to be prepared for danger if things like these happened.

" _Silence_ ", a powerful, older voice broke through the crowd. The moment this voice spoke, everyone immediately got quiet. Near the exit towards the broken bridge, a Dementor started floating forwards, as the other Dementors parted as to make a way for this Dementor. Naruto took a good look at this particular Dementor. Unlike the other Dementors, this one seemed different. Its cloak was not as tattered as the other Dementors, and at the same time it looked older. She also noticed to her surprise, that this Dementor was bigger than the other ones. Most of them were about three metres in height. This this one looked to be about a head taller than the other Dementors. It seemed like this one held a higher rank than most Dementors. Could this be their leader?

" _Lady Drexis_ ", Apraxia bowed her head to the larger Dementor.

" _Don't you realise that we are making our human guest uncomfortable_ ", said the Dementor referred to as Lady Drexis, confirming Naruto's theory that this Dementor carried a special rank of her own. Lady Drexis was now floating in front of Naruto. " _Though, I must admit that you have held yourself pretty well, Miss Naruto._ " Drexis's voice possessed a grandmotherly quality within it, despite the fact that the icy tone was still prevalent.

"Well ma'am, I am not really afraid of you or any other Dementor. It is more so that I have poor experiences with large crowds, so it is more so instinct than your presence. To tell you the truth, I don't find myself uncomfortable with any of you", Naruto responded honestly. The surrounding crowd muttered lowly between each other, and most of them adopted shocked expressions. The only one not reacting were Morgana, Opaque and strangely enough Lady Drexis. The latter simply tilted her head slightly in curiosity.

" _Is that so, huh? Well, Miss Naruto, you are indeed an interesting human girl_ ", she responded with a calm voice. Naruto looked up at the Dementor, who was still in front of her.

"Um, if I may ask… are you the leader of this colony", Naruto asked as politely as she could. She didn't want to cross and boundaries, but she couldn't help it. Despite acting like a complete buffoon; Naruto Uzumaki had always been a curious child, and always desired to gain more knowledge about everything possible. She would sneak into the library whenever she could, and tried to gather as much knowledge as possible within the books that littered the halls. It was how she had figured out about her containing the Kyuubi and realising the reason as to why the whole village seemed to despise her. Lady Drexis started chuckling softly at Naruto's question.

" _No, I am not a leader. We Dementors do not currently have any real leader, aside from the decisions made at the Concilium Desperatio. My name is Drexis, and I am one of the oldest Dementors in this colony. That simply makes me a voice of experience and wisdom, but not a leader. Here in the Concilium Desperatio; all Dementors present have a voice in every decision that may concern us. Usually only a few attend the Concilium Desperatio, and it has been millennia since the last time a meeting was held with every Dementor of the colony present_ " the older Dementor explained.

"So the title of Lady is more so out of respect for your age and knowledge in your teachings and techniques", Naruto asked, as she couldn't help but keep asking questions about these fascinating beings. Lady Drexis seemed to grow impressed at Naruto's words.

" _Indeed, you are right; what a clever little girl you are_ ", she praised Naruto, who couldn't help but slightly blush at the grandmotherly tone the Dementor was carrying. " _Yes, my title comes from my wisdom. Although, despite all the wisdom and experience I have gathered over the multitude of millennia that I have been around_ ", she started as she bent down in front of Naruto as get a closer at the girl. " _I have never once met a person like you before. I am sure you understand that no one, and I mean NO ONE, has ever been able to hear the words of a Dementor. Would you mind if I tried to discover why that is the case?_ "

"Oh no, by all means, go ahead. I am just as curious as you are why this is the case. Ask any questions and perform any test you like… within reason", Naruto added in the end, remembering one of the times she made the mistake of trusting one of the villagers. It was a pleasant older man who kept giving her sweets. Until one day, one of those sweets contained drugs that put her to sleep. When Naruto woke up, she was laying naked on a surgery table in the man's apartment. If she hadn't woken up in time and screamed for help, thus allowing Weasel and Crow to intervene; that candy-giving, deceptive, old fucker would have dissected her. What is wrong with those damn villagers anyway?

Lady Drexis nodded at Naruto's request, before she started investigating the girl's appearance. It was clear that the poor girl had been abused and was clearly malnourished. It was surprising for the Dementor that she found herself caring for the young girl she had just met, as if she was one of their own. This got Lady Drexis thinking. Could it be…?

" _You have the Kyuubi sealed within you, correct_ ", she asked. She then noticed how Naruto tensed up when being asked that question. " _Oh, don't worry; I am not accusing you of anything. I was merely making certain that you knew about it. I was also curious if you possibly knew where the seal was located on your body, and if I may take a look_ ", Lady Drexis clarified with a gentle tone. Naruto was quite honestly surprised that such intimidating creatures could be so gentle.

"It's on my stomach, and I don't mind that you take a look at it", she replied and lifted her up shirt, revealing her skinny stomach. Drexis repressed a growl at the sight of the girl's ribs. Next, the Dementor held up her bony hand above the girl's belly, spread her clawed fingers apart, and charged an ethereal energy into her hand. As she did, an intricate seal appeared on Naruto's stomach, and Lady Drexis could tell that this was a very powerful seal, and that the Kyuubi was sealed within. However, what she could further detect from the seal gave indications towards one of her primary suspicions. She removed her hand from Naruto's belly, and allowed Naruto to put her shirt back down.

" _Now, do you know that we Dementors have the ability to suck out someone's soul_ ", Lady Drexis asked, and once Naruto had nodded without any fear or hesitation, she proceeded: " _There is one more test I would like to perform. You see, as one of the oldest Dementors, I have developed a technique from our ability to suck out emotions and even souls, which allows me to analyse a soul without having to consume it. However, the few times I have tested this technique; it has still caused any test subject a minor degree of pain, even though they were asleep. I am not sure how much pain you would go through as you would be awake. May I still perform this technique?_ " Naruto seemed to contemplate this for a while, before nodding, given her consent. " _Alright, here we go_ ", Lady Drexis stated as she stood straight up.

A guttural noise came from her open mouth as she connected herself directly with Naruto's soul. To both of their surprise, Naruto didn't scream or even twitch in pain. The only thing that Naruto felt was a slight tingling feeling, similar to when a limb falls asleep, but aside from that; there was no actual discomfort for Naruto. Lady Drexis mentally put this clue among the rest as she started to analyse Naruto's soul. She discovered quite a few interesting things, not only was this girl strong in spirit, but she had also been through quite a lot in her life. As memories are inherently tied to the soul, this also allowed Drexis to see Naruto's memories. What she saw was enough to make the Dementor infuriated. This girl had been through so much in her life, and all of it was aimed at her simply because she contained the fox. However, as much as Lady Drexis wished for her and her fellow Dementors to fly to Konoha and suck out the souls of each and every person responsible for Naruto's mistreatment; it sadly wasn't the time for that. As Drexis analysed Naruto's soul, she also discovered some interesting things. Not only was the Kyuubi directly connected to Naruto's soul, but so was at least one other soul or more specifically: the power of said soul. This girl was part of transmigration cycle, where the energy (or chakra as it was called) of this person was carried over from one person to the next. From this, Drexis could tell that this girl had quite the family history within her blood. If this had been many millennia ago, people would have salivated and given their left legs, in order to get just one title of the many noble titles that this girl was carrying.

Of course, that wasn't the only thing Lady Drexis discovered. While all of this was impressive, it paled in comparison to what she also found within this girl.

" _Alright, I am done._ " Drexis stopped her technique and Naruto felt the pull vanish in an instant. It felt strange to be sure, having your soul be examined, but she wasn't hurt by it. She was curious about what that really meant. " _Now, Naruto I would like to ask you another question. You are not afraid of us, correct?_ "

"That's right. I don't feel scared by any of you. You have intimidating appearances for sure, but it is not scaring me at all", Naruto confirmed.

" _And do you per chance feel comfortable around us? And also like there is something familiar with this place?_ " Drexis's question made the Dementors confused, while Naruto's eyes widened.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do feel comfortable here, and it does feel like there is something familiar with this place, even though I have never been here before." Naruto's couldn't help but wonder exactly how she realised that little detail. What exactly had she found out? Lady Drexis didn't ask anything else. Instead, she just nodded and kept contemplating in silence, looking away into the distance. After a while, she raised her hooded face and made her voice known.

" _I do believe I have figured out why this girl can understand us_ ", Drexis spoke to the whole crowd.

" _Wonderful, Lady Drexis_ ", said Apraxia. " _So, please tell us what it is that makes Naruto so special that she can understand our language._ "

" _Oh, there are plenty of things that make this jewel special_ ", Lady Drexis stated with an intrigued voice. " _First off, there is the fact that not only does the seal keep the fox within her and being directly connected to her soul, but it is also absorbing its power into Naruto, and her body is adapting to it. She is capable of not just channelling demonic energy, but soon she will also be capable of creating it._ " Everyone started murmuring, and Naruto's eyes widened. The seal was allowing her to adapt the Fox's strength as her own, and allowing her to recreate said energy? " _Then there is the fact that she has quite the family history. Not only is she the heir to a notorious clan, but she is also the reincarnation of a man called Asura Otsutsuki, one of the two sons of the Sage of Six Paths._ " Within the seal, even the Kyuubi was widening his eyes.

 ** _'_** ** _This girl is Asura's reincarnation? Could that really be possible?_** _'_ The Fox was mystified by this. Naruto meanwhile was even more shaken by this revelation. She had a clan? But she found no information about any Uzumaki clan in the library. She even checked the few books that existed regarding clan histories, but they were often consisting of torn pages-

Her eyes widened immediately in realisation. Someone had removed her clan from the records. Did Hokage-jiji know about this? Did Hiruzen encourage this, and was this one of the secrets he had kept away from her? Did he know about her real parents as well? Naruto's hands tightened into a fist in rage at the thought, as she had always longed to know who her parents were.

" _Of course, then there is also Naruto's own power_ ", Lady Drexis continued, snapping Naruto out of her anger. " _Not only is she getting the ability to create her own demonic energy, but she is also carrying her own immense pool of power. While naturally not as massive as the Kyuubi's; it is still impressive and potent. This girl is quite literally a pool of unlimited potential_." The Dementor's praise made Naruto blush once more. What is with the compliments from this one? She didn't mind of course; she just wasn't used to it.

" _So, is it one or all of these things that is enabling her to understand our language_ ", Morgana asked. She knew this girl was something else from the hours she had spent with her, but Morgana wouldn't have expected that Naruto would be this impressive.

" _While all of them are impressive on their own, and certainly together as one; it is not what is allowing her to understand us_ ", Lady Drexis explained. " _I was merely stating some of the many things I found special about this girl, and I think they may also help us understand what made her so special for her to be this blessed._ " Her explanation created more confusion from the surrounding Dementors and the single human girl.

" _So if it isn't one of those things, then what is it? And what do you mean with her being blessed?_ " Opaque's questions rang through the entire courtyard.

" _Well, I had my suspicions, but I could only prove it once I had analysed her soul properly_ " Lady Drexis started her explanation. " _Aside from the previous mentioned elements, I also discovered that not only is this girl capable of manipulating both Chakra and Demonic Energy, but she is also capable of using Witchcraft amongst many other magical powers._ " While Naruto may have been confused about what she meant; the Dementors surrounding her certainly seemed to know what Drexis was talking about, as all of them tensed up at the mere mention of the word.

" _She can use Witchcraft? But that is not possible. Witchcraft has been non-existent for millennia, and we all know that. How can this girl possibly be capable of performing that type of magic?_ " Apraxia asked sternly.

" _That is a good question, and the answer is also the answer to why she can understand our language._ " Lady Drexis took a deliberate pause so that everyone would pay close attention, though she doubted that she actually had to say anything for that to happen. " _The reason she can learn and use Witchcraft is because of what I found within her soul: a connection. She is connected to something beyond either Witchcraft or Chakra… and it is something only a few beings in the universe, including us Dementors, are connected to. And even then, her connection may actually be stronger than ours._ " Out of everything that Lady Drexis had stated before this point; this got the greatest reactions out of all of them. A silence echoed throughout the courtyard, and it was a silence not even Dementors knew that they were capable of creating.

"Um… excuse me, but what exactly am I connected to", asked Naruto. She had no idea what they were talking about, but clearly it was something enormous, otherwise they wouldn't have reacted like this. Lady Drexis turned towards Naruto, and even though she had no visible face; Naruto could have sworn she detected a smile underneath that hood of hers.

" _Well, allow me to congratulate you, Naruto Uzumaki. You are one of the few beings in existence to have a direct connection to True Magic._ "

 **-To be Continued-**

 _ **There we go, chapter two is up. I hope you liked it. Don't worry for those who want more - the next chapter is currently under development. Read and review, and tell me if you liked it!**_

 _ **See you in the next chapter!**_

 _ **Prof. Majora**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hello there once again. Prof. Majora here after some longer time away from this story. First off, let me just say that I am so incredibly grateful for the massive support that you have all given me and this story. It has meant the world to me, and I hope that this story will keep living up to your expectations!**_

 _ **Now, as to why I have been gone for some time. Well, while I did say that I did have the first chapters planned out, that is still the case. I pretty much have several future chapters in my mind, and I just need to write them down. However, there are a few things that did get in the way.**_

 _ **The first is that I kept getting unsatisfied with how this chapter came out, so I remade it a few times. Hopefully, you will like the final version.**_

 _ **The second reason is because while I was planning out the next chapters, I thought of an idea for ANOTHER story that I want to write. I am not sure when this story will come out, but I will write it alongside this story.**_

 _ **With that said, let me emphasise that I will not abandon this story just because I am writing another story. I will write both stories, and update them as soon as possible.**_

 _ **Also, I should add that one of my reviewers from the previous chapter asked if the concept of True Magic was based on Fate/Stay Night. Let me just say that I did not have this in mind, as I haven't seen the anime itself. The concept of True Magic is a construct I thought of myself. Now, there seem to be some similarities, but again: I did not write the concept of True Magic with Fate/Stay Night as a reference.**_

 _ **Again, I mean no offence against the anime itself. I have just not seen it.**_

 _ **Anyway, now that I have gotten that out of there, and without any further delay; here is chapter 3 for your reading pleasure.**_

"Speech"

 _'Thought'_

 _"Dementor Speech_ "

 **"Demon Speech"/Spell or Jutsu**

 _ **'Demon Thought'**_

 **The Dementor Representative**

Chapter 3

"I'm sorry, what did you just say?" Naruto's current expression could only be described as absolute confusion. She could have sworn that this wraith-like entity just said that she was connected to something called True Magic.

" _I said that you are one of the few beings in existence to have a connection to True Magic_ ", Lady Drexis repeated. She was the only one who seemed to be calm in this situation, as every sentient being on that field was still trying to process what the older Dementor had just said.

"But, there is no such thing as magic", Naruto tried to reason and state it wasn't possible for it to exist.

" _Then what is it that Ninjutsu and Genjutsu is made out of_ ", the older Dementor asked in return. Naruto was stunned for a few seconds, before gathering her senses.

"No, chakra is a scientifically proven construct that is part of every living thing. Just like the veins our blood flows through; it is not magic", she stated a bit stubbornly.

" _Oh yeah, and being able to manipulate the elements to do your bidding, conjuring fire from your lungs and bloody causing someone to relive a day in their heads for centuries is because of chakra, but you are right; how could it POSSIBLY be magic?_ " Drexis's sarcasm was literally dripping from her voice, to the point you would think the icy tone had melted.

"Well, yeah but… chakra is… totally magic, you are right and I am not going to argue anymore", Naruto responded, admitting defeat as she realised that they were just going in circles. She couldn't disprove that chakra was a magical essence, because several of the things that people had managed to do with chakra had always been incredible and beyond human capabilities. Heck, even if it was the average person using it, it was still not exactly human. People could understand it and study it, and by applying science; everyone would immediately state: 'no it's not magic, it's chakra'. Somehow science took away the idea of magic, and wasn't that a sad thought in Naruto's mind.

" _Thank God you accepted, I don't know how much further we would have gotten without you accepting that you Shinobi are essentially using a form of magic._ " Naruto was still reeling a bit in shock, before she shook her head.

"Anyway, if this is the case, then what is True Magic? What is the difference between that and Chakra", she asked while looking at the Dementor who had just changed the way she looks at reality itself.

" _Well, I cannot tell you the full description of what True Magic is just yet. Let's just say it is pretty much the most expansive thing you could ever imagine, and even then I am undermining it. It is pretty bloody massive. However, I will tell you this, and thereby answering your second question: Chakra Manipulation is a branch of True Magic_ ", Lady Drexis replied. It was clear she was uncertain what to say and what not to say. But even with that answer, Naruto couldn't help feeling even more confused.

"What do you mean? Why can't you tell me?"

" _Well, let me say this; I cannot tell you what True Magic is all about, because it is actually difficult to explain to someone who is not yet capable of fully understanding it. I can spend a whole day explaining every possible technique and power True Magic is capable of, but if you do not comprehend magic and manipulating it fully; it is only going to sound like nonsense to you. As you are not able to understand Magic in any form at this point; I am not so inclined to tell you the full answer as you wouldn't be able to understand it._ "

Naruto nodded at the answer with a solemn expression. She understood, as she had just come to accept magic as being an actual thing, so to all of a sudden request to learn about True Magic was a bit of a leap. However, that didn't mean that she still felt a bit hurt. She had essentially been cut out of from knowledge once more, all because she wasn't worthy. Even if the circumstances were different; it was still too reminiscent of when librarians had thrown her out several times over the years.

"I understand", she bitterly accepted. What was the point to keep pestering, if they weren't going to explain it anyway? Lady Drexis noticed Naruto's depression, before remembering seeing memories of how Naruto had been cast out, often violently, anytime she would try to visit the library. She was denied knowledge, and for a young, extremely intelligent and curious child, that was the equivalence of denying her candy. Drexis understood how her actions could be related to that. All of a sudden, Drexis felt a glare, and looked up. Morgana was glaring holes into Drexis. Did she get angry because Drexis had accidentally hurt the girl's feelings? This girl seemed to affect Dementors in the most unique of ways it seems. Lady Drexis decided to file this action in her the back of her mind, before she proceeded to approach Naruto and gently lift her chin up to look make the girl look the Dementor in her eyes… metaphorically speaking.

" _I think you misunderstood me. I didn't say that I was never going to teach you. I simply was trying to say that you weren't ready to learn it at the moment. I do apologise for making you think that I was forever denying you knowledge about True Magic_ ", she explained to Naruto, who seemed to smile and light up a bit, to Morgana's and Drexis's delight. At first, Drexis was very confused about it, until she remembered Naruto's connection to True Magic, which was probably why they were affected. This made Drexis smile a bit underneath her hood. It seems that Naruto Uzumaki may perhaps be able to understand True Magic sooner rather than later.

"I understand. I am sorry I overreacted, Lady Drexis", Naruto responded and bowed to the older Dementor, who simply rubbed her head.

" _Don't worry young child. You have done nothing wrong_ ", Lady Drexis responded with that gentle Grandmotherly tone. " _Now, while I may not think you are ready to fully learn about True Magic; I can develop its relationship to Chakra a bit._ " At these words, Naruto looked up towards Drexis, her eyes filled with curiosity. " _At its very core, True Magic can also be called Source of Magic, or the Original Magic. Think of it to be the precursor for any form and use of magic. There is no magic in existence that is not connected to True Magic. They are all branches of it. That is what chakra is: a branch to the source of it._ " She started as Naruto was nodding. " _Think about what chakra is capable of performing. It is essentially able to create things out of nothing, manipulate elements and so much more. However, it pales in comparison to True Magic, the stem from which the branch grows._ "

"So, you are saying that True Magic is essentially the origin of all magic? And I guess this Witchcraft you mentioned earlier is also one of these branches", Naruto asked, having gotten over the misunderstanding and now just focused on learning everything she could.

" _In a nutshell_ ", Drexis answered. Naruto processed the influx of information, until she decided to ask her next question.

"And you cannot tell me what True Magic fully is because I am not adept at any form of magic connecting to True Magic to understand it?"

" _Exactly, your brain could hear it, but it would not comprehend or even remember it. It would end up rejecting the knowledge. In a sense, it would be like trying to teach algebra to someone who cannot count_ ", the older Dementor explained.

"Well, if you cannot tell me what True Magic is, maybe you can explain this to me: how come I have a direct connection to True Magic? How can I have a connection in the first place as I haven't even been taught in anything magical?" Naruto was looking inquisitively at the Dementor in front of her, as said Dementor carried an aura of pride for the little girl.

" _Actually, that is a very legitimate question. The connection to True Magic would explain how she can understand our language and how she is not feeling the fear and despair that Dementors naturally bring. However, how would she have the connection at all_ ", Opaque asked as well. It seemed to get the attention from all Dementors, as they all were wondering the same thing. Lady Drexis nodded.

" _That is a good question. And the answer to that question lies within that seal on her stomach. Now, I am not talking about the Kyuubi, I am talking about the seal itself_ ", the older Dementor explained.

"What about my seal", Naruto asked, while she subconsciously put her hand on her stomach, just where her seal resided.

" _That seal is not just any seal. That seal is known as the Shiki Fujin, which means that the Shinigami was summoned by the one who sealed the Kyuubi within you. Now, while I can tell that the Fourth Hokage did a few things to it; in the end the Shinigami had to touch you when the sealing occurred_ ", Drexis explained. Naruto held a confused expression.

"Are you telling me that… the Shinigami was the one who made the connection?" This made every Dementor tense in realisation.

" _Indeed it was. You see, Dementors are one of the few species connected to True Magic, and can thus utilise it to some degree. However, a Dementor is always limited, as is the other species connected to True Magic. There is only one who does not have that limitation is Death itself._ " Lady Drexis pointed her finger towards her stomach.

" _A Dementor may be connected to True Magic, but it is nothing compared to the connection Death has to True Magic. Hence, when the Shinigami sealed the Fox within you, it essentially opened up the connection between you and True Magic, or more specifically the possibility for it to open_ ", Lady Drexis explained.

"So, does that mean anyone who gets in contact with The Shinigami and gets the Shiki Fuijin can become connected to True Magic? Then how come no one has spotted this Magic before", Naruto asked.

" _Aside from the fact that they cannot understand True Magic; the Shiki Fujin can only open up the possibility for the connection to manifest. I think it managed to manifest in you because you had the best opportunity for it to manifest itself. Just two of those things are that you are the reincarnation of Asura Otsutsuki, as well as the container of the strongest of the nine Bijuu._ " Naruto stared at the Dementor.

"Wait, I am a reincarnation of someone? Who is this Asura Otsutsuki?"

" _He was the son of someone very powerful. That doesn't matter right now. The point is that those are two rather strong contenders. I cannot be exactly sure if were those, something else within you, or just dumb luck. The point is that the reason you could manifest a connection in the first place is because of the seal on your stomach_ ", Lady Drexis finished her explanation. Naruto nodded, while gripping her stomach. It seems that everything that made her stand out and either hated or an outcast, all revolved around the night of her birth. If it wasn't an ancient Demon, it was a representation of Death itself. As for the reincarnation thing… she could honestly wait for a while until she managed to process this whole True Magic conundrum. There was just too much at once.

' _I just can't catch a break_ ', Naruto thought to herself. She then turned her attention back to Drexis. "Okay, I think I understand. Thank you so much for explaining this." She bowed, trying to be polite to her elders. This thought made Lady Drexis smile. Today marked what is possibly the first time any human had showed genuine respect and not fear to Dementors. It honestly made the Elder Dementor happy to think about.

" _But where does this lead us_ ", asked Morgana.

" _Indeed_ ", Leoni continued. " _What you are saying makes sense, but what does this entire thing mean in the long run, milady?_ " Lady Drexis nodded at the question and was silent for a while before providing her best answer:

" _I have absolutely no idea."_

Naruto and the surrounding Dementors felt their shoulders sag in exasperation. Well, so much for that leading them anywhere. Now, what was going to happen? Naruto was contemplating a few elements they may have overlooked.

"Well, does this mean anything bad to anyone? Is this bad for your colony, for my health? Can I still use Chakra", Naruto shot a few questions from the top of her head at a rapid pace. Opaque held up her hand to stop the young girl before she overloaded herself.

" _Logically, I cannot see anything bad that could happen to anyone because of your connection to True Magic_ ", Opaque started and Morgana nodded.

" _Indeed, if anything I see this as an advantage. It allows you to be the first human to ever talk to us_ ", Morgana proceeded with a casual shrug. Naruto nodded at that. She had enjoyed conversing with someone, and not being worried about her gender and safety for once. The Dementors may look intimidating, but they made for nice company once you got over their frightening appearances.

" _Yes, you have nothing to fear_ ", Lady Drexis interjected. " _And the connection to True Magic is not going to interfere with your ability to use Chakra. In fact; depending on the connection, you could…_ " the Dementor stopped herself. She started having an internal dialogue with herself. The other Dementors noticed this and were wondering what one of the wisest of their colony could be pondering about.

" _What is on your mind, Lady Drexis_ ", Apraxia inquired the older Dementor, who was muttering to herself.

" _Well, I think I have a suggestion of where to go from here._ " Everyone focused intently at the Lady after she said those words. " _I see a possibility here that we should not ignore._ "

" _What are you saying, Lady Draxis_ ", said a voice from the crowd.

" _I am suggesting, if young Naruto here would agree, that we take her in as a student and teach her ourselves._ " Naruto's eyes widened to such a degree, that one would think her eyeballs would roll out of her skull. The Dementors seemed to be shocked once more, and they were discussing this amongst themselves once more.

"Excuse me, what do you mean that you would teach me?" Naruto was pretty sure she didn't mishear them, but she had to make sure.

" _I am saying that you will stay here with us, and we will teach you not only Chakra Manipulation, but also Witchcraft. As I said earlier, the reason I could not describe the nature behind True Magic, is because it envelops every branch. And since you are not knowledgeable in any of them… I cannot teach you_." Naruto's eyes widened, in realisation at what Drexis was saying.

"Wait a minute, are you saying that by being connected to True Magic… one is granted access not just to True Magic itself, but to all forms of magic as well?" Lady Drexis seemed to swell with pride.

" _Exactly – excellent Naruto, you figured it out. When I said that you were not ready to learn, I never meant to make it sound like I questioned your intellect. It is just that it is impossible to explain True Magic, unless they are ready to understand it. If I told you, you would quite literally forget it afterwards. You have the direct connection to True Magic. This alone is the thing that stops all other people from truly understanding it. As soon as you have the connection, it is only the experience and understanding that is preventing you from obtaining it._ " She then turned to her fellow Dementors.

" _I now speak to the Concilium Desperatio. We Dementors follow the will of True Magic, as we are bound by it. It gave us a purpose and we gained power from it. I see unlimited potential in this child as she is now. Right now, her connection to True Magic is close to the one a Dementor has. Imagine what she could be if she reached a higher connection than now. The possibility is there. If anyone does not wish for this to happen, make your voice known to all of us_ ", Lady Drexis asked the surrounding Dementors. One of them floated forwards.

" _I am for this idea, but it does make me wonder about the final destination? What is the goal of teaching this girl, this Naruto Uzumaki? We may have access due to our abilities of absorbing information, but where would it take us?_ " All of the Dementors turned back to look at Drexis and hear her answer.

" _I cannot say. I do not know if this is a fluke or not, but I am willing to put my faith in Naruto. Already she has proven that she can understand us and that she is not afraid of us. We Dementors need something to follow, and maybe giving Naruto this chance may provide that something we need. In the end, we can only give her the chance. The rest is entirely up to her. We take her in for a set time, and then we let the chips fall where they may. What say you, Concilium Desperatio?_ " Lady Drexis's voice echoed proudly through the courtyard. Several Dementors murmured between each other. After a while, Apraxia flew into the air, thus becoming the centre of attention.

" _Fellow Dementors, I suspect that no one in this colony has any objection to this idea. The situation is strange, but by the will of the instincts that guide us, I think I speak for all when I say that this is an opportunity all of us want to explore. We wish to see where this road takes us._ " Apraxia's voice was powerful in its presence. While she gained no vocal response, it seemed that everyone agreed with her words. " _I say that the one who the matter concerns, should have the final word_ ", Apraxia finished, before turning to Naruto, as did everyone else. There was a resounding agreement amongst the Dementors.

" _Indeed, what say you, Naruto Uzumaki? Do you wish to be trained and taught be us, the Dementors of the Azkaban?_ " Naruto was beyond baffled. She had never imagined that she would be given an offer to train like this. No one had ever wanted her to teach her anything, and now she was being offered to train with these people.

"You are really offering to train and teach me? For how long", Naruto asked.

" _We will help you and give you everything we can for seven years. Or we can send you back to Konoha if that is what you wish_ ", Drexis answered. Naruto was beyond excited at the prospect. And even still, they gave her a choice. Nothing was forced on her. If this was a dream, then she never wanted to wake up.

"I am truly honoured you are giving me this opportunity, but before I accept, I must ask what you are planning to teach me", she responding, choosing to be calm and not just rush into what seemed to be a gold mine, and accidentally screwing herself over.

" _As stated, we would teach you anything we can in both Chakra Manipulation and Witchcraft, and aid you as much as possible to help you develop, and perhaps even evolve your connection to True Magic- which reminds me, we should probably take care of that little detail_ ", Lady Drexis interrupted herself, confusing Naruto.

"Taking care of what", she asked while tilting her head in confusion.

" _Well, the Kyuubi of course; as it seems you are inclined to learn from us, we need to take care of it. As we are not sure what the Kyuubi could do to your training or be affected by it; it would probably be best to take care of that early on._ "

"You mean… you can release him? Take him out from my body", Naruto asked with excitement entering her voice.

" _No, I'm afraid not. Releasing a Bijuu would unfortunately kill the Jinchuuriki, so I cannot release him without killing you_ ", Lady Drexis responded. She then noticed the dejected look on Naruto's face. " _However, we could still take care of it. We would just have to absorb him. It wouldn't hurt you much, if at all. Actually, if anything it may help you along in many regards._ "

 **-In the seal-**

Kyuubi's eyes widened at this. It had noticed how elated its host had been at the prospect of getting it out of her body, but didn't have much time to think over it, until it heard how they were going to suck him out instead. And worse of all, the fox could do nothing while in here. Because of this damn seal; Kyuubi was helpless while some wraith-wannabes slurped him up like a cold fresh drink. It remembered what had happened to the Root Shinobi who got their souls absorbed out of their bodies. If that happened to anyone; there would no hope of ever returning or reincarnating. Not even Bijuus were immune to this.

 **"** **CURSE YOU, FOURTH HOKAGE"** , the Kyuubi screamed as it tried to smash its way out of the cage, but no matter how much it tried, it failed. The Fox was going to die within this godforsaken girl. She was going to use his power for her own, and the Bijuu was going to spend the rest of eternity in a vegetative state, before perishing. Oh, he would make sure she suffered if she ever-

This was when the Kyuubi noticed something curious through the eyes of the girl.

 **-Outside the seal, a few moments earlier-**

"What do you mean absorbing Kyuubi's soul", Naruto asked Lady Drexis.

" _It is exactly what I mean. We would absorb the Kyuubi's soul and then implant the soul into you. Then you can use its power for your own without ever having to worry about the fox interfering or trying to take over_ ", the grandmotherly Dementor responded. " _Now_ ", Drexis waved her hand in an upward motion that pulled up Naruto's shirt, and revealing her stomach. " _This shouldn't be too hard, I just have to apply pressure on your seal, and the Fox should be sucked out of you in no time. As only the soul would go, and not the chakra, you would be okay. Now, let's start-_ "

"Back off!" Just as Lady Drexis started her Soul Absorption, everyone, including the Kyuubi, was shocked at what happened. Naruto ran forward, and punched Lady Drexis across the face, before pulling down the shirt and taking a defensive stance. Lady Drexis was not expecting the punch, or the fact that it would affect her. Normally, physical attacks were negated with Dementors, but yet she felt it. She backed away, a bit dazed and looked at Naruto with shock.

" _Naruto… why did you strike me_ ", Lady Drexis asked in pure confusion. Naruto was positively glaring at Drexis.

"I may be truly honoured for getting the option of being trained by you. But if you ever try to take Kyuubi out of me again; I will fucking kill you!" Naruto's angry voice echoed all over the courtyard.

" _Is the Kyuubi a friend of yours_ ", Drexis asked, wondering where she was going with this.

"No, he is not my friend. But I don't care! He has healed me every time the Konoha citizens have attacked me. Regardless of the reason, even if it was for his own self-preservation, he chose to do it. He could have chosen to let me die, and then be reincarnated. He is a god damn Bijuu, and exists on another plane than I or any other human. He chose to heal me! He has been with me since the day I was born, and despite the villagers hurting me because of him being in my body; I have never once blamed him for it! I may not have the privilege to call him my friend, for I have never spoken to him. Regardless, I will not let you deny me the chance to make him my friend!" Naruto's shouting echoed, shocking the spectral creatures to their very core.

" _You could easily get its powers for you own. You don't actually need the Kyuubi to become stronger. If anything, its presence would make it more complicated for you_ ", Drexis stated. She and the Dementors had no idea what to make out of all of this

"You said it yourself; he is connected to my soul. I consider his soul to be part of my body as much as my soul is. And if it will make it more challenging, then I will find a way around it. But I will not sacrifice his soul and mind just to make it easier for myself!" As Naruto screamed, her Shiki Fujin started radiating with a strong glow. A miasma of power started growing around her, as Naruto's pupils became slits within her shining, blue eyes. Drexis stared at Naruto. This girl was truly something special.

" _Are you sure?"_ She asked.

"I would rather go back to Konoha, to suffer and carry the burdens for both of us, than leave him behind for an easy boost", Naruto replied sternly.

" _As you wish_ ", Lady Drexis responded. " _I am sorry that I made it seem like you had no choice. You could have of course denied what I was about to do. I am just surprised that you reacted so strongly._ "

"I wanted to protect one of the few that have ever protected me. That is why I was excited at the prospect of releasing him. I thought it could give me the possibility of setting him free. Even if he wanted to be alone; I could have set him free. It is also the reason I wish to accept your teachings, if it is still available."

" _What do you mean_ ", Morgana asked this time.

"I never realised it before today… but Konoha is not just my place of torment; it is my prison. For fuck's sake, I cannot even be a girl, out of fear that they will start raping me. I have friends among those walls, but that doesn't change the fact that the same walls are keeping me trapped within. And the citizens are my wardens that love to torment me. When you offered this chance for me to learn… I was not only happy to learn, I was happy that I could be free." Naruto was looking at them with a determined smile, which seemed to radiate hope.

" _I see what you mean, but I do not see what it has to do with the Bijuu you are carrying_ ", Morgana probed. Naruto nodded, before she continued her explanation.

"I have only now fully realised that I have actually been a prisoner, and it has made me ponder how the Kyuubi might be feeling like this as well. I wanted the Kyuubi, if that is even his name, to be free." Lady Drexis and Morgana were staring at the young girl. She really wanted to help this demon? Even though he was the cause of her suffering? And she didn't blame him at all, just the ones who committed the crime?

" _And if you were to learn from us, what would you do_ ", Lady Drexis asked. For some reason, she needed to hear what Naruto was going to say, even if they were already determined to take her on as a student.

"If you give me this one chance, I will not let it go to waste. I will do everything I can, and train until I throw up and fall unconscious out of exhaustion, and then I will get up and do it over and over again. I promise that I will go as far as I can and beyond, and learn as much as I can for the next seven years! I will embrace True Magic, and I will make all of you proud that you chose to support me. If you still think I have the honour of joining this great colony; then I would love to accept it." Naruto proceeded to bow deeply towards Drexis and the other Dementors. Silence reigned over the whole courtyard, before Drexis started clapping her hands at Naruto.

" _Then, Naruto Uzumaki, I welcome you to Azkaban to learn from us Dementors. You are now part of our colony, and we will help you to the outmost of our abilities. We are honoured to have you, someone with such a potent connection to True Magic, joining our home_ ", Drexis's voice was loud and clear. After she was done, the Dementors flew around in shrieks of agreement and joy. It felt like they had waited for something like this to happen, even if they never knew that they were waiting for it in the first place. " _Now_ ", Drexis called out for everyone to hear. " _I recommend that Naruto gets a room so she can rest, as I imagine that this has been a taxing day. Morgana, would you please help her with that?_ " Morgana nodded and floated next to Naruto. " _It has been an eventful day, and tomorrow, we will start getting you into shape. We wish you luck Naruto. Represent us Dementors in front of True Magic with pride and dignity._ " Naruto nodded firmly, only now realising that it had been several hours since the meeting first started. " _If there is nothing else, I deem this Concilium Desperatio over!_ "

As soon as those words were uttered, every Dementor started flying away, and soon it was like they had never existed in the first place. The only ones that stayed behind on the courtyard were Naruto and Morgana in the centre of the courtyard.

" _Well, I suppose the only thing left is to take you to your room. Come on, it's this way_ ", Morgana said, and pointed her hand in towards the opening they had first entered. Naruto nodded and started following Morgana. While they were travelling through the hallway, Morgana turned to Naruto. " _So, how are you feeling?_ " Naruto looked up at Morgana, who was a good bit taller than her.

"To be honest; happy, but also a bit overwhelmed", Naruto answered. "You have to understand that in my life, very few have actually been generous to me without any sinister agenda or personal gain behind their actions. So to meet a whole species and to actually find myself inclined to trust them… it is an extraordinary feeling, yet it is also exhausting." Naruto took a deep breath, while her Dementor companion nodded her head in contemplation.

" _You told me that you have been hiding yourself from others, which included not only that idiot act you mentioned when we were alone, but also that you have been hiding your gender, correct_ ", Morgana asked for confirmation. Naruto nodded. " _That explains why that Aburame thought you were a girl._ "

"Yeah, no one knew. I had managed to hide my gender this whole time, because I understood very early on what sex and sadly… rape was." Naruto felt anger and disgust well up as she remembered the purple-haired woman who had almost been raped. "It was safer to pretend being a boy, than to be what I really was." Naruto's voice was full of melancholy. The thought made her feel more confident in her decision to stay here, as she felt that she could be free and to finally embrace something that she had long since denied. Whether that be True Magic, or her own gender. Morgana noticed this melancholy, and gently put a hand on Naruto's head.

" _Don't worry; you don't need to hide yourself any longer, Naruto-kun._ " Naruto smiled at Morgana's words, and even blushed at the affectionate term.

"Thank you so much, Morgana- Wait; what did you just call me?" Naruto had to look up at Morgana when realisation hit her of what Morgana actually said.

" _I called you Naruto-kun. It was my understanding of your language, that you added the suffix '-kun' when you were referring to someone you care for. I have started caring for you, so I thought I should try it out. I hope I wasn't getting to personal too soon_ ", Morgana replied, with actual concern in her voice. Naruto shook her head.

"No, I am very flattered that you care for me, and I am happy that we can make a connection, but '-kun' is mostly used for boys. And you know that I am a girl, so the correct term would '-chan'", Naruto explained, to which the Dementor adopted an invisible smirk.

" _Not with that hair and not with those clothes. Until you grow out your hair and start become more womanly in appearance, I am going to keep calling you Naruto-kun_ ", Morgana retaliated firmly and with a smug voice, which caused Naruto to narrow her eyes at the Dementor accompanying her.

"You know, there you go again. Proving once more that the reason Dementors are avoided is not due to their emotional vampirism, but rather because you annoy everyone around you", Naruto stated with a deadpan tone.

" _Well if you don't like it, then just change your appearance. Until then, you are my little Naruto-kun_ ", Morgana teased. What Morgana didn't tell Naruto was that there was an alternative reason behind her teasing. From what she had learned of Naruto was that, while incredibly intelligent; she was also rather headstrong, and if insulted, she would retaliate. However, Morgana had also realised that Naruto was very insecure when it came to the topic of her own identity. She wanted Naruto to embrace who she was, and that included her gender.

One thing about Dementors that no human ever figured out was that they were experts in terms of emotions and rather well-adapted in understanding humans. Not too surprising, as their emotions were the Dementors' source of food after all. If Morgana simply confronted Naruto about it, then Naruto probably would have shut herself out from the conversation. No, this would require some degree of manipulation.

"Fine, if that's what it takes to shut you up." And judging by Naruto's muttering, Morgana would have to say that is was working. She disliked manipulating the girl, but she felt that it was to help Naruto move forward. The two of them soon took another turn, and started walking up a long set of stairs, which went up along a grand, tall room, with what looked to be torn paintings covering the walls.

" _By the way, Naruto-kun_ ", she could hear Naruto's light growl and noticed her twitching eyebrows. Oh yeah, it was definitely working. " _I am curious. All those things you said about the Kyuubi… where they real?_ "

"Every last word of it", Naruto answered with a nod.

" _Well, I am not going to say what you should do, or what you shouldn't do, but may I ask a question?_ " When she saw Naruto nod her head once more; Morgana proceeded with her question. " _How come you never blame the Kyuubi? Again, that is your choice, but I was just curious why you felt this way._ "

"Well, mainly for two reasons, and both of them involve the villagers", Naruto started her response. "The first is that, it was always the villagers who attacked me. At no point did the Kyuubi ever participate in any of the poisonings, stabbings, burnings or other forms of abuse. It was just the villagers venting their anger and sadness regarding the Kyuubi on to me, because I was an easy target." Morgana grew bitter and angry at the villagers' stupidity and hatred, and how they would take it out on this small girl.

" _What is the second reason_ ", Morgana asked. Naruto was about to answer, before she stopped herself.

"Actually, that one is rather personal, so if you don't mind, I would like to keep that one to myself for now", she said after a few moments.

" _No worries, it is your decision_ ", Morgana stated in a comforting voice. After this, they walked in a comfortable silence, and soon enough; they reached the top of the staircase. " _Alright, your room should be straight ahead_ ", Morgana said as she was flying in front of Naruto instead of beside her.

"I must say that I am surprised that there are any bedrooms left in these ruins", Naruto remarked as was closely following Morgana.

" _There are quite a few bedrooms within this castle, but this one is the only that is still intact. This place was originally full of life and a was a place where they practiced various forms of Witchcraft. You will learn later on what happened, but the point is that this place fell and then we came to this location, and claimed it as our own. Now, because of their practice with Witchcraft, they managed to created magical wards that were meant to protect the castle, and keep the items within said rooms lasting for practically millions of years if needed. However, due to certain circumstances, not all of the wards held. In the end, this is one of the few places of this place where the wards actually withheld._ " Morgana explained. Naruto looked at Morgana and was a bit flabbergasted.

"Wow, Witchcraft can really do that?"

" _Amongst other things, but similar thing can be done in many other Magical Branches as well, including Chakra Manipulation_ ", Morgana replied, to which the young Jinchuuriki merely nodded in contemplation.

"You know, I am still a bit amazed that magic exists", Naruto admitted. "And I must also say that I am both nervous and excited about starting my training.

" _I am sure you will do fine_ ", Morgana remarked. _"And if things don't go so well, you still have your chakra that you can lean back on. Because, as you clearly know; it is not magic._ " Morgana's voice carried so much smugness in it, Naruto was surprised she could still hear the icy cold within.

"You are going to hold that against me, aren't you?" Naruto remarked with a bitter tone.

" _Hey, you are our first source of fun in centuries, Naruto-kun, gotta make the next years count_ ", Morgan answered with a smirk.

"…I am actually starting to regret taking the offer to learn magic."

" _Oh don't be like that Naruto-kun; you know I am just teasing_." Naruto grumbled at being referred to as a boy once more. " _To be honest, I'm grateful that you are not as narrow-minded and accepted magic rather swiftly. Unlike others that I have had the displeasure of absorbing._ "

"Really", Naruto asked the Dementor, trying to calm herself down from the jabs aimed at her regarding her gender.

" _Indeed. For example, there was one that was firmly under the belief, that magic was merely something we tell children to keep them under a delusion of not knowing how harsh the world really is. And this man was capable of growing bones from his body by using his Kekkei Genkai_ ", Morgana replied. Naruto couldn't help but chuckle alongside the Dementor, and then stopped herself as she realised she just had taken part of a casual conversation, with a spectral being that feeds on human happiness, about one of the many souls said being had devoured. This really had been a strange day.

Naruto shook herself from her thoughts, as she noticed Morgana enter an opening in the wall. She followed the centuries, if not millennia old wraith, and they entered what looked to be some kind of living quarters or common room. It was a huge, circular room, with furniture of various kinds. Some, like one of the couches, seemed to be as pristine and pleasant as if was made the day before, but then there were some other pieces of furniture that had truly corroded with time, and were now practically decayed and non-existent. At the end of the room, there was a fireplace, which definitely had not seen proper management in quite some time. Though it looked like it could still be used to create a fire if needs be. There were also two doors, one of which had completely collapsed by rocks. Morgana waved her hand, and one of the doors opened. On the other side of the door, Naruto could see a spiral staircase, which seemed to lead up to another room. Morgana guided the human girl up the stairs. On the top of the stairs, there was another door. Upon opening this door, she noticed it opened up to a large bedroom, with several four-poster beds standing around against the walls, and hangings. What was interesting to Naruto was that all of the sheets and hangings were red, which clearly suggested some form of meaning. Some of the beds had corroded with time, but there were some of them that looked just as pristine as the couch down in the common room.

" _These will be your quarters during your stay here. Hopefully it should have everything you need to be comfortable_ ", Morgana stated as they were standing in the bedroom. Naruto was a bit slack-jawed. This was going to be her room? True, it may be slightly ruined, but it had an incredibly warm feeling to it. " _Are you going to need anything else?_ " Morgana's voice broke Naruto out of her stupor, and she shook her head.

"No, I probably should just go to bed. This day has been exhausting", Naruto responded while still being overwhelmed.

" _Okay then, well I will come up to you when you need breakfast or something. There are tons of Dementors in the hallways all the time, so you should you need something; you only need to inform them_ ", Morgana continued before turning around and started floating away. All of a sudden, she stopped when she heard Naruto's determined and loud footsteps. Morgana turned around, and when she did – Naruto was right in front of the Dementor, hugging the waist of the wraith.

"Thank you so much", said Naruto with all the warmth she could muster, before she let go, and backed away with a smile on her face. Morgana was shocked. She had not expected that to happen, even if she probably should considering nothing about this girl was traditional.

" _Well, I guess since that is all… good night_ ", Morgana stated hastily before floating away. She then stopped one more time. " _Oh, and Naruto…_ " The girl in question looked at Morgana's back. " _I am happy you are here. I never thought I would say that about anyone else outside my colony, let alone about a human… but I am actually happy that you are here._ " There was confusion, but also joy in her tone and Naruto smiled as she looked at Morgana, who floated away and left the room, closing the door behind her. Naruto smiled, as she turned around and looked at the room around her. She took off her torn clothes, and pulled back the sheets on one of the beds that were still in a pristine condition. Naruto laid down into the bed, the sheets hugging her skinny form like an angel's embrace. Enjoying this sensation, Naruto took one more look at the room around her. While this place was certainly banged up from the passage of time, as well whatever that happened so many millennia ago to this place; it was still nice to be within. She guessed that this witchcraft really held this place together rather nicely

 _'_ _While worn, it is certainly the best place I have lived in. Wow, even ruins are better than my old apartment. That is just sad'_ , Naruto realised. Well, at least now she could sleep without worrying about any of the villagers knocking her door down and vandalising her home. It was with thought that Naruto had a smile, and started closing her eyes. Before she fell asleep, she had one thought in her mind. _'So, this is what a home feels like…'_

 **-Elsewhere, that night-**

A drop of water hitting the surface woke Naruto up. Her eyes fluttered open, as felt that she was laying in something wet. She sat up, and noticed that she had been lying in ankle-deep water. As her eyes surveyed the surroundings, she realised that she was no longer in her bed in the castle; it looked like she was in some sort of sewer.

 _'_ _Oh no, please don't tell me that it was all a dream'_ , Naruto started thinking to herself, and started panicking about the prospect that all the things with the Dementors was just something her subconscious had created, and that she had actually been tossed down into the sewers by a rampaging mob. However, she stopped herself and calmed down, and started examining her environment once more. Then, she felt like hitting herself; Naruto had been tossed down into the sewers before. And the waters were never this clean, and never were any of the pipes flowing with some strange energy, or had a yellow tint to them. This definitely wasn't the sewers.

' _But if I am not in the sewers, then where am I?'_ Naruto asked herself, as she stood up and went deeper within the tunnels ahead of her, determined to find out more about her situation. As she went down the sewers, she noticed how the pipes channelled energies of various colours.

However, before she could think deeper about it; her attention was directed towards the gigantic room that she was about to enter. Within this room, there was a gigantic cage, made with imposing bars that in the yellow light looked like it was made of gold. Surprisingly, despite this imposing cage, it was sealed shut by a simple piece of paper, with the kanji for 'seal' on it; thereby keeping the bars shut and whatever it was within the darkness of the cage trapped within. Naruto's eyes widened as she realised where this place was located. Her suspicions were confirmed when a loud, threatening growl echoed from the cage and through the hall. Naruto was spellbound, as she saw a giant red eye glowing ominously in the dark, before the outline of a giant shadow became noticeable. It stayed in the darkness, staring at Naruto, like it was a predator evaluating its prey. Even without the light revealing its form; Naruto knew who this was. This was the Kyuubi.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to see you anytime soon. I wonder how I ended up here, though", Naruto asked out loud.

 **"** **Simple, I brought you in here when you were asleep"** , the shadow of the giant Nine-Tailed Fox spoke for the first time. This caught Naruto a bit by surprise, as she hadn't expected the fox to summon her. She was also slightly surprised by it speaking at all, but she was more prepared for there to be more than meets the eye with this awe-inspiring creature.

"Really? Wow, I wasn't expecting that", Naruto expressed herself to the Kyuubi, who growled in response.

 **"** **Do not flatter yourself. I only brought you here for you to answer my questions. I have no other interest in you, pathetic human"** , Kyuubi's voice boomed through the sewers, causing Naruto to blink at his harsh tone.

"Wow, grumpy much", Naruto commented, making the Kyuubi growl. "Well, go ahead; ask your question. I do presume it has something to do with what happened earlier with the Dementors."

 **"** **You are right on that one, girl. I saw and heard the whole thing, by connecting myself to your chakra. Why would you actually want to set me free"** , Kyuubi asked, staring at Naruto, who had adopted a confused expression.

"I don't know what you are talking about. I just want you to be released", she replied honestly. Kyuubi narrowed its eyes at Naruto, and slammed itself against the bars of the cage.

 **"** **Don't lie to me, human! What is that you are actually after?"**

"I am being honest; I have no hidden agenda", Naruto replied with conviction. It was clear that the Kyuubi wasn't convinced, as it still focused its narrowed glare at Naruto. "Look, I understand that you are not enthusiastic about trusting humans; I speak from first-hand experience. But I am honest when I say that I have no secret plan to exploit you. In fact, I have been considering finding a way to release you, only now without killing myself-"

 **"** **Don't mock me, human!"** Kyuubi's growl echoed through the cage. **"You would release me? Do not make me laugh."**

"I am not joking. I have honestly been planning to release you from this place. The only difference now from before is that I am just going to find a way to not kill myself doing it", Naruto explained. "I think it is not fair of what happened to you, and I do not blame you for what happened-"

 **"** **Yes, I heard from your conversation with that undead creature earlier"** , the Nine-Tailed Fox interrupted its vessel. **"Though I am still wondering why you are not putting any blame on me. Even though the villagers are the ones who attack you; they only do that because of your association to me. If I wasn't around, you wouldn't be living the life you do. So why not blame me, even indirectly?"** Naruto was quiet for a few moments after Kyuubi asked its question.

"Well, that is part of the personal second reason that I never told Morgana. However, I think you should hear it as well, as it concerns you after all", Naruto started. Kyuubi would not admit it, but it was pretty surprised that it was having this polite conversation from its own warden was happening. "The second reason why I won't blame you for the shit that has happened to me in my life is because if I did, I would be no better than the people who have put me through all that suffering. Do you remember my seventh birthday, and what they did", she asked the Bijuu, who simply nodded.

 **"** **Yes, I remember. They did quite the damage on you that day."** The Bijuu had no emotion in its voice at those words.

"Well, shortly after I got out of the hospital, I figured out that you were within my stomach. I mean, I had suspected that you were connected to me, considering the obvious clues, so when I found the definite proof; it merely confirmed it. However, if I am going to be honest, when I first found out, I was beyond pissed off at the villagers' behaviour. I considered hating you as well, and putting the blame at you, and for a moment I did, no matter how brief it was. However, as I did, I realised that I was doing exactly what the villagers were doing: projecting my anger at an easy target, simply because of association. Yes, you may be the reason why they attack me. Regardless, if I blamed you for the pain I have endured in my life; I would be no better than the men and women who saw it fit to bury me alive after breaking most of the bones in my hands." Naruto's response was full of conviction and honesty.

 **"** **While that may be admirable of you; it still doesn't change the fact that I still attacked Konoha, and I killed thousands of people. I probably killed your parents as well. Are you saying that I am no longer guilty of that"** , the Kyuubi snidely asked.

"No, it does not", was Naruto's immediate response. "You still destroyed properties and businesses and caused the deaths of thousands upon thousands of people. And yes, you may be responsible for the death of my parents, if they are dead that is. However, I have always thought that there was more to that story of your attack. There are several holes to it. For example, it is clear that you are not a mindless beast that only craves destruction; so why would you attack Konoha?" Kyuubi's eyebrows rose at her words.

"A Shinobi needs to look underneath the underneath, and when you look underneath the underneath regarding this incident; it just doesn't add up. You would not gain anything from it, meaning that you really had no reason for attacking Konoha, unless there was something more behind said destruction." Naruto was firm in her response, showing that she had given the whole situation some deeper thought than most shinobi would have regarding the Kyuubi Incident. "Regardless of why you attacked the village almost eight years ago; it doesn't make it right for them to treat me like a punching bag because of my association to you. Just like I have no actual right to project my anger over my suffering at someone who is merely associated to said suffering."

 **'** **It seems that this girl really has given this some thought… interesting'** ¸ the Bijuu thought to itself as it stared at the young human girl in front of the sealed cage.

"As for me wanting to release you, that is because as I stated earlier: I want you to be free. I just got the chance to be free from my prison, and I have only been alive for less than eight years. I get the feeling that I am not your first prison, and as such; I can only imagine how much you must long for freedom. I don't want to deny that any longer than I have to", Naruto explained herself. The Kyuubi was surprised. One of its abilities was the ability to detect Negative Emotions, and as such could tell whenever someone is lying, and he could tell that this girl was being honest. This girl was different from practically every human it had ever met. However, the Kyuubi was not going to simply take the words of a girl who may just be overly sentimental.

 **"** **Why would I need you to get out of here? I can just tear my way out of this place, and kill you while I am at it. And even if you release me, what is stopping me from tearing apart all of your loved ones-"**

"HEY", Naruto's shout interrupted Kyuubi's taunts. "I said that I will find a way to get you out, and that I don't blame you for my suffering. I never said anything about being your fucking bitch." Naruto narrowed her eyes at the beast, and took one step forward. "If you ever try to hurt them, I will destroy you." The Kyuubi roared and smashed his claws through the bars, trying to reach Naruto, but failing to do so by the smallest of margins. To its surprise, Naruto merely blinked at the claws in front of her face.

 **"** **You arrogant little worm! Do you really think that you can defeat me, the greatest of tailed beasts?!"**

"If you ever become a threat to anyone I hold dear, I will find a way to break every bone in your body!" Naruto's eyes started glowing, and a miasma of pure energy became visible around her. Kyuubi kept staring at her, and while it didn't show; the fox was surprised by the power this girl exuded. It seems she wasn't just a compassionate fool. However, it really didn't matter in the long run.

 **"** **Hmph, it doesn't matter. Even if you were to release me, I wouldn't make it outside of here"** , the Kyuubi said with a desolate tone. Naruto widened her eyes.

"What do you mean? Didn't you just say that you could get out of here", she asked with confusion in her eyes. The Kyuubi snorted.

 **"** **Well, let me answer those questions in the reverse order. First, I lied. I wanted to see how you would react and see if you were just a naïve and sentimental fool. As for the other question, I cannot survive outside your body because I am not complete"** , the Fox responded bitterly.

"Not complete", was Naruto's simply inquiry. The Kyuubi looked at her with a stern expression.

 **"** **Do you know what Yin and Yang Chakra is",** the fox began. Naruto nodded her head, as she had read that all chakra consisted of spiritual and physical energy, essentially Yin and Yang respectively. **"Alright, that should make it easier to explain this. When your Fourth Hokage used the Shiki Fujin** ", at mentioning the title, Kyuubi growled in anger, before continuing: **"he didn't just seal me away. He split my Yin Chakra and Yang Chakra apart, and sealed away the Yang Chakra along with my soul here within you. This may not seem like too much at first glance, but allow me to elaborate. Bijuus are not just demonic creatures; we are at the core embodiments of chakra. Do you understand what I am telling you?"** After the brief explanation, Kyuubi looked at Naruto. It didn't take long before her eyes widened in realisation.

"You mean you are literally missing yourself, and missing the Yin Half would make you incredibly unstable as you are a being of pure chakra, essentially a magical creature. And you are missing half of that magic", Naruto responded in realisation of Kyuubi's situation.

 **"** **Precisely; the only reason I am stable right now is because I am tied to you through the seal, which means that I am technically on life support through you and your chakra, which includes the missing Yin Chakra. If I step foot outside, it's like asking someone to function with half of their organs missing. Regardless if you died or not; I wouldn't be able to survive on the outside as I am now. So, there you have the truth of the situation at hand"** , the Nine-Tailed Fox explained, its tone dripping with bitterness. It thought this would be enough to burst the girl's bubble and maybe leave him alone.

"Well, there has to be some other way to help you. What if we retrieved your Yin Chakra, or maybe I could give you some of mine and over time it could help substitute what you have lost", Naruto asked, trying to find an alternative mean. Kyuubi's eyes were widening in surprise at Naruto's words. The girl still hadn't given up?

 **"** **Are you seriously still trying to think of way of releasing me? After everything I have told you?"**

"Yes, I am not giving up. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, and I promise you that I will find a way to release you from this cage!" Her voiced determination echoed through the walls of the sewers. The Kyuubi stared at this girl. She was not telling a single lie, and she was honestly going to go through with this.

 **'** **She really is different. I guess, maybe I should extend her an olive branch. She is Asura's transmigrant after all'** , it started thinking to itself. Then, the Kyuubi did something he hadn't done in decades, if not centuries: he laughed. A bellowing laugh echoed between the walls. **"I can see why the Dementors were so willing to impart their knowledge to you; you are incredibly amusing."** The fox's words caused Naruto to pout in irritation. **"Very well then, Naruto Uzumaki… I shall give you the benefit of doubt, and concede that you may actually wish to help me. Furthermore, there is a way that you can help. However, first let's address the main issue."** After these words, the Kyuubi stepped out into the light, presenting Naruto to its glory. A massive orange fox the size of the Hokage Mountain, if not larger, was standing in front of her. It had long ears, piercing red eyes and a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. Surprisingly enough, while the rest of the body looked like that of a fox; it had a human-like torso, with clawed hands instead of paws. The nine tails were waving back and forth behind him. **"I do not trust you, and I am pretty certain that you do not trust me."**

"Of course, we have only just met", Naruto responded simply, all the while keeping herself steady in front of this titanic beast.

 **"** **Precisely, and because this situation needs us both to be able to work together, not trusting each other can be detrimental. As such, I suggest one of the oldest ways to reach a compromise: a mutually beneficial agreement"** , the Kyuubi continued.

"Not that I am ungrateful, but I am curious why you feel the need for a deal? You don't have to give me anything. As I stated earlier, I was going to do it anyway, with no plan of compensation on your end", Naruto replied while tilting her head at the giant fox.

 **"** **I know, but how can I tell that you are going to stick to this word and not change your mind a few years down the line? The reason I am making this deal is to give an incentive. By making a deal, we will essentially understand that we both have something to gain, thus we are at the same page. This in turn will help us to at least try to work towards establishing a sense of trust with each other. Besides, even if you did it without expecting a reward, my sense of honour demands that I repay you in full"** , the Kyuubi explained its reasoning, causing Naruto to gently grab her chin in contemplation.

"I see your point. Very well, what did you have in mind?"

 **"** **Allow me to fully explain first. While your suggestions are indeed valid, there are problems with each one. You could give me some of your Yin Chakra regularly until I had substituted what I had lost, but that would take several centuries to accomplish, even with your impressive Chakra Coils. And while finding and giving me back my Yin Chakra would also work: I confess that my last memories surrounding the moments of sealing are hazy at best, probably due to the circumstances of being split in two. As such, I have no idea where my Yin Chakra is located."** Naruto cursed to herself.

"Then what can we do?"

 **"** **Well, you are right that I do desire freedom, and I have longed for it for quite some time. And working with you is going to be easier in the long run. The seal helps me be stable within here"** , the Kyuubi stopped and gazed at the piece of paper that kept the cage sealed. **"However, it also ties me together with you. Upon your death, I shall die to. At the same time, I can only get out and remain outside if there is Yin Chakra present, otherwise, I will destabilise the moment I step foot outside this seal. Thankfully, there is a solution for this."** The Kyuubi leaned forward. **"Tell me, do you know about summoning?"**

"Yes, I am aware of it. Essentially there are shinobi who can summon various animals. The Sannin belong into this category", Naruto answered, providing the little knowledge she had found in some of the library books she had managed to get her hands on.

 **"** **Well, what most may not know is that these Summoning Creatures are not just animals: they are Spirits, from a realm connected to ours. However, they cannot take a corporeal form in this world unless we give them the means to. Upon using chakra to summon these spirits; they use the chakra to give themselves corporeal forms. They use the Yin Chakra to imagine their desired form, and then use the Yang Chakra to breathe life and transfer themselves into these forms"** , the Kyuubi explained, causing Naruto eyes to widen in realisation once more, as excitement spread across her face as well.

"So you are saying we use this same idea; I summon you out of the seal, and you use the Yin chakra to stabilise yourself for as long as possible", she said with an intrigued smile on her face.

 **"** **Precisely, but this also means that you cannot just rip off the seal. You have to adapt it and manipulate it so that you can summon me, before removing the seal tag on my cage. Now, I don't know if you have figured it out or not, but this in fact your mindscape. As such, you are completely in control of this place"** , the Kyuubi continued its explanation, while thanking the stars that its current vessel was not the idiot she pretended to be in public.

"I see, so it is possible to alternate the sealing work and thus creating a way for you to get outside", Naruto summarised, causing the Kyuubi to nod.

 **"** **Indeed, which leads us to our agreement"** , it leaned forward Naruto. **"I want you to do two things. First thing is that you make this place into my summoning temple. We will create a contract for you to sign, so that you and only you can summon me. The second thing is that I want you to locate and retrieve my Yin Chakra, or at the very least find some kind of substitution. Considering the advanced teachings you will learn these upcoming years; it may be possible to find something that could be a decent replacement."** Naruto nodded as she looked the Fox into his eyes, as he continued speaking in his deep, booming voice. **"In return, I will first agree to be your personal summon for the next hundred years, granted you live that long. The second thing is that I will not only help you in your teachings with my millennia old knowledge, but I will also become another teacher for you. As you are developing the ability to create Youki, also known as Demonic Energy; I will be there to help you control and manipulate it properly."** After Kyuubi was done, Naruto's eyes were wide in amazement. She had not expected this deal from the demonic entity that was trapped against its own will.

"Let me get this straight, you are saying that in return for me helping you out, we are essentially going to become partners with each other", Naruto repeated, hoping that she was correct. Please tell her that is exactly what the Kyuubi meant.

 **"** **Yes, we would in essence be partners for the next hundred years"** , the Kyuubi agreed. A huge grin broke out on Naruto's face.

"Well then, partner, we have got ourselves a deal!" A vulpine grin of sharp teeth spread across the Bijuu's face.

 **"** **Lovely, then we have an agreement. I will also make sure to establish a connection between us. That way, we can talk without you having to come into the mindscape. Just remember to think, as you don't want people to think that you are insane by talking to yourself. Now, if there is nothing else, go away so I can work on that"** , the Kyuubi dismissed her, indicating the end of their discussion. Naruto nodded, and turned around to leave, when she suddenly stopped herself.

"Actually, there is one more thing I wish to say", she said. The fox looked up at Naruto, wondering what she could possibly want. The Kyuubi did not expect the girl to make a small bow to the massive bijuu. "Thank you", was all she said.

 **"** **For what"** , the Kyuubi asked with confusion written on its face.

"That you healed my every wound, as well as that you have been with me. It may sound strange, but the truth is that after accepting you as part of me, and carrying our shared burden… I didn't feel as alone. That means a lot to me, and as such I am happy to have made your acquaintance at last." She smiled brightly at the fox, before she disappeared from the mindscape. The fox just blinked and stared at the location Naruto had just stood in. Then it closed its eyes, and worked on establishing the connection between them, while letting out a small chuckle.

 **'** **She really reminds me of Asura, as well as you father. What an interesting girl you are, Naruto Uzumaki'** , the Kyuubi thought to itself.

 **-The next morning-**

Naruto opened her eyes, and looked around the room she was in. She immediately felt relaxed when she recognised the room as the one the Dementors gave her. That meant that it wasn't a dream. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to genuinely smile. As she was about to get up; a knock came from the other side of the door to her room. Shortly after, the door opened, and a Dementor carrying something floated in. Naruto looked at the face of this Dementor and smiled.

"Good morning, Morgana", she said with a smile. Morgana tilted her head to the side.

" _Oh, so you recognise me? I was afraid that you would not be able to tell us apart, aside from Lady Drexis_ ", Morgana stated.

"Well, I cannot explain it, but I could just feel it from you. I guess it was something with your aura that made me instantly recognise you, I think", Naruto explained as she shrugged. Morgana nodded her head in contemplation.

" _Interesting, perhaps this is another effect of your connection to True Magic. Speaking of which, it's time for breakfast, and then we will get started with your first lessons. But first, here you go_ ", Morgana said, before she gave Naruto the bundle of clothing she had in her arms. " _I noticed your torn clothes, so Opaque and I went out to a nearby town and took some clothes from one of the stores. I am not sure we go the right size, as you are rather skinny, but hopefully you will grow into them. I hope that they are alright._ " Morgana's voice actually carried a degree of uncertainty to it as she held out several wrinkly shirts, trousers and underwear that despite their brand new quality were poorly folded. Naruto couldn't help but stare at them, as she slowly reached out and grabbed it all and held them to her chest. Her eyes started watering up a bit from this, as her chest swelled up with warmth she had rarely felt.

" _Is something wrong_ ", Morgana asked when she noticed Naruto's eyes watering, worried that the young girl was upset. Naruto shook her head softly with a smile on her face.

"No, it is perfect. Thank you so much, and I will make sure to thank Opaque next time I see her." Naruto smiled brightly at Morgana, which actually made the Dementor light up herself, however that was possible. "Now, may I have some privacy, so that I can change?" Morgana nodded as she floated towards the door, telling the girl that she would be waiting downstairs. After Morgana had left, Naruto smiled and wiped away the few tears that had escaped her eyes. Then she stood up and grabbed a red shirt, along with a pair of black trousers and a pair of new underwear, and started putting them on. While she did that, she remembered her conversation with the Kyuubi, and decided to try to contact it.

' _Kyuubi, are you there'_ , she thought into her mind, waiting for a response, until she heard something of a yawn.

 **"** **Yes I am here, you just woke me up. What is the matter"** ¸ asked the grumpy voice belonging to the Nine-Tailed Fox.

 _'_ _Oh, I just mainly wanted to see if everything worked, but I also wanted to know if it was okay with you if I told them about our agreement. As my partner, I want to make sure we are on the same page'_ , Naruto explained through their connection, causing the fox to groan a bit.

 **"** **You woke me up for that? Of course you can share that, in fact it would be the smarter choice. Now please don't call me for any unnecessary bullshit"** ¸ the Fox replied with a stern voice.

' _Wow, someone is not a morning person I can tell'_ , Naruto stated.

 **"** **No, this is not because of my attitude regarding mornings, I am just not keen on being woken up when I sleep, especially when it is about stupid bullshit"** , was its immediate response.

 _'_ _Yeah, whatever helps you get through the day'_ , Naruto scoffed as she got dressed. After she was done, she went downstairs into the common room. There, she saw not only Morgana waiting for her, but two other Dementors as well, whom she recognised as Opaque and Lady Drexis.

"Good morning, Lady Drexis, and Opaque. Thank you so much Opaque, for the clothing you provided me alongside Morgana. I really appreciate it", Naruto greeted them with a grin. Morgana turned to Opaque, and appeared to have that smug smile, judging by her aura.

" _See, I told you that she would recognise you immediately_ ", she stated, as Opaque muttered curses to herself. It would turned out that they had made a bet about Naruto's ability to instantly recognise the identity of the Dementors, despite there being very few defining characteristics between any of them, with the exception of the Elder Dementors such as Lady Drexis.

" _Good morning, young Naruto_ ", said the gentle voice of Lady Drexis. " _It's nice to see you in such a pleasant mood. Are you ready for the day ahead?_ "

"Indeed I am, but before I think I should share something with you, before we go downstairs", Naruto responded, thinking that it might just be smarter to just get it out of the way as soon as possible, as she may forget it later on. "After falling asleep, I met Kyuubi within my mindscape, and we had a conversation with each other." This caused the three Dementors to tense up. They knew the power and presence the Nine-Tailed Demon carried with it.

" _Would you please explain what happened_ ", Lady Drexis asked. Afterwards, Naruto went over their conversation, and then described the agreement that she and the Kyuubi had established between each other. Once Naruto was done, Drexis chuckled. " _You are indeed a unique girl, Naruto Uzumaki. You have barely been here for 24 hours, and you have already established a mutually beneficial agreement with one of the most powerful creatures on this planet. Additionally, through this you have gained a teacher within manipulating your developing core for demonic magic_ ", the older Dementor said with an aura of pride for the girl.

"Actually, that reminds me of something I was wondering. I know you are going to teach me about Chakra Manipulation and Witchcraft, but how are you going to do it", Naruto asked a question for the Dementors floating in front of her.

" _Well, that is a good question. You see, we Dementors cannot channel chakra techniques through our bodies, nor are we really capable of channelling the magic that is utilised for Witchcraft. However, as you know, thanks to our abilities to absorb souls, we are also capable of absorbing all of their knowledge. This includes not only knowledge of techniques, but also a complete understanding of how they work. Thanks to this, we will tell you everything we understand through their memories, including hand signs, and the general feel of the technique_ ", Lady Drexis explained to the young student-to-be.

" _Indeed, and there is also another source of knowledge. Remember how there were wards on some places and not on others? Well, one of the places they clearly prioritised was all the books that fill the massive library within these ruins. Practically every book was marked with this runes, and they still stand on the shelves to this day, ready to be used_ ", Morgana explained.

"Okay, that fills in the gaps for me. Thank you so much", Naruto responded with gratitude for this opportunity to learn and to evolve as a person.

" _No problem. Actually, while we are talking about this, there is something that I want to ask. Yesterday, a lot of things were happening at once. I just wanted to confirm that you were still sure about your decision to stay here and learn from us, after sleeping on it_ ", Lady Drexis inquired Naruto, who smiled warmly at the spectre in front of her.

"Lady Drexis, I'm far more certain now, than what I was when I went to bed last night", was her simple, but clear response. Despite not having any visible lips or mouth, it felt like a smile was growing underneath Lady Drexis's hood.

" _Very well, let's go down and get some breakfast for you, before we start your teachings_ ", the Elder Dementor stated with an excited tone. None of the other two Dementors had heard Drexis sound like this for several millennia. She was nearly always pleasant, but never excited. This was a huge moment indeed.

Naruto nodded at Lady Drexis words, and then walked side by side with the three Dementors. When looking back several years later, Naruto would state that this was the moment, when her new life would truly begin.

 **-To be Continued-**

 _ **That concludes chapter 3. Hopefully you could follow along with what was written in the chapter, and that it wasn't too much exposition happening at once. This is my first story after all.**_

 _ **The next chapter is under development, and should hopefully not take as long time as it took with this one. Read and Review and tell me if you liked this chapter.**_

 _ **See you in the next chapter!**_

 _ **Prof. Majora**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello there, Professor Majora here once more. I hope you will enjoy the upcoming chapter here. Nothing much to say really, aside from, I hope you enjoy this chapter. First I must say though that I am extremely grateful for the amount of support you guys have been giving this story. I hope that I keep it up and keep you satisfied.**_

 _ **The next chapter is in the works, along with another story that I am planning. I am not sure when they will come out. I update as soon as I can, whenever that is.**_

 _ **Now, let's not delay any longer. Enjoy chapter four!**_

"Speech"

 _'Thought'_

 _"Dementor Speech_ "

 **"Demon Speech"/Spell or Jutsu**

 _ **'Demon Thought'**_

 **The Dementor Representative**

Chapter 4

Naruto was leaning against at the windowsill of a big, open window. There was no glass covering the window, and it seemed like any trace had disappeared with time. Time had really made work of this place, and she saw there were several cracks in the stone of the gothic architecture that made up the lancet window. Naruto herself was wearing a contemplative look on her face, as she was staring out into the forest that was beyond the ruins she had swiftly been referring to as her new home. The clouds were covering the skies, with the occasional gap for sunlight to shine through on this dim day.

It had been almost two weeks since she had taken up the Dementors' offer for apprenticeship. During those two weeks, they had mostly spent their time trying to assess her strengths and weaknesses, while also teaching her various elements within Chakra Manipulation and Witchcraft alike. Of course, within Chakra Manipulation; they had really just been starting out by teaching Naruto a few simple chakra exercises and the first basic Academy Jutsus, which included the **Substitution Jutsu** , the **Transformation Jutsu** , also known as **Henge** , and the basic **Clone Jutsu** , though it was clear that the young girl contained far too much chakra to be able to successfully create any clones. As such, they decided to put that particular technique on the shelf, until they decided that she was ready to learn something more suited to her massive reserves.

As for Witchcraft, they had so far taught her a few charms. This was mostly to introduce her to the concept of Witchcraft, and so far; Naruto was incredibly intrigued. Amongst the few spells she had been taught; Naruto had learned the **Wingardium Leviosa** , alongside a few other utility spells such as **Lumos**. They had also introduced her to the art of Potion-making, essentially the art of creating magical mixtures that can create an amazing number of effects for the drinker.

However, the biggest priority the Dementors had at the moment was trying to make sure she was well-fed, and to get her body into shape. As such, they had been taking it slow on the girl, to not try overwhelming her malnourished body. The thought made Naruto chuckled as she started to recollect a recent memory. After all, it was an interesting experience to learn how her food was produced, especially considering that it would mark the time when she would encounter yet another magical creature.

 **-Flashback-**

"Hey, Morgana – I have a question", Naruto started as she was almost finished with her scrambled eggs and toast, and she was still chewing as she spoke. She had never had food like this before coming to this place, but it was interesting to say the least, not to mention tasty.

" _What is it, Naruto-kun? Are you going to ask me how to finally learn how to eat at a table like a proper lady_ ", Morgana mocked the girl, who was growling at her.

"Oh yeah, because that is why I took the offer to stay here: to learn bloody etiquette. That is for later, when you have gotten a proper manicure", Naruto retorted, making fun of the Dementor's scabby and corpse-like hands.

It obviously worked, as she could tell that the Dementor had an invisible scowl under her cowl. Naruto may not have seen it, but she could feel the aura of the Dementor. ' _1 for Naruto, 0 for Morgana'_ , Naruto thought to herself with a smug expression

" _You had a question you wished to ask_ ", Morgana reminded Naruto, with a nuance to her icy tone that clearly sounded like she was gritting her teeth.

"Oh yeah, I was wondering", Naruto started as she was gathering up the last piece of food on her plate using her fork. "How is this food made anyway? Do you cook it yourselves?" She then brought up the fork in her mouth and started chewing.

" _Indeed we do, and we cook it using the corpses of the Root-nin who brought you here._ " Naruto froze up as her eyes widened at Morgana's response, before they narrowed at the Dementor sitting on the other side of table.

"You waited telling me that until I put the last piece of the food in my mouth, didn't you", she accused with a glare.

" _Well, maybe you shouldn't speak shit about the dermatology of a spectral entity that can suck up the souls of other humans_ ", Morgana retaliated, before chuckling at Naruto's irritation, which only served to irritate the girl even more. " _Seriously though, we do not prepare the food ourselves._ "

"Then who is that prepares all of my meals?" Naruto got over her annoyance with her companion, now more enveloped in her never-ending curiosity.

" _Well, I see no issues with doing that._ " Morgana rose from the table " _Follow me, and I will take you to the kitchen._ " Naruto nodded and followed the Dementor as they started traversing out of the great hall where she ate her food. They took a set of stairs that led down into the depths of the ruins, and not long afterwards did they stand in front of the kitchens. Inside, Naruto was greeted to a sight she quite frankly did not expect at all.

At first, she had thought that maybe it would be humans that worked for the Dementors, as it made sense to have humans make food for other humans. Instead, she saw small creatures that barely reached three feet in height. Their arms were thin, as were their legs, with clawed hands and feet adorning each limb. However, they also had rather big heads for such small bodies. On these heads, each of these creatures had pointed, bat-like ears that were drooping. On their faces, each of these small creatures had pointy noses of various lengths, but every one of them had large eyes, that matched their rather over-sized heads. All of them were wearing what looked to be sacks for clothing. There were about twelve of them in total, and they were all working in the kitchen on various things. A couple of them were doing dishes, while one was preparing food, and the last nine were just sitting around doing nothing. However, what was consistent amongst them was a strange lack of enthusiasm.

"What are these beings", Naruto asked, as she couldn't help but be curious about these interesting creatures.

" _They are house-elves. They are magical creatures that were often employed by wizards as workers_ ", Morgana explained.

"Well, I must have come around at a bad time then. They seem to not really enjoy what they are doing", Naruto said, making note of the complete lack of enthusiasm any of these creatures had for their current occupation.

" _Oh you misunderstand. They actually love to work, and while many could consider them slaves due to their positions; it is in fact in their nature to want to work. The reason for their lack of enthusiasm is because they lack a master_ ", Morgana explained.

" _You see, house-elves are creatures that used to live symbiotically with witches and wizards. They would bond with someone capable of witchcraft and they would then follow their every command. In exchange for their services, the house-elves gained magic and strength from their masters. It may sound strange, but it is how they are meant to be._ " After Morgana was done, Naruto had a contemplative look.

"So do they in a sense feed on being bound to wizards, like you feed on emotions", she asked, to which Morgana simply nodded. "Does that mean that they need to be bonded to witches or wizards in order to live? And if so, how are these elves alive right now?"

" _It is because of the magic emanating from these ruins_ ", a new voice from the door Naruto and Morgana had just entered was heard. Upon turning around, they noticed that it was Lady Drexis herself.

" _Lady Drexis_ ", Morgana lightly bowed to the Elder. " _I wasn't expecting you to be here as well._ "

" _I followed you actually. I was on my way to have a snack in the dungeon, but then I saw you two going into the kitchens, and I got curious. Then I overheard that you were speaking about the house-elves and of course Naruto's question_ ", Lady Drexis responded with a calm voice.

"Indeed; you said something about the magic in this place. Are they surviving because of that", Naruto asked as she looked up at the taller Dementor.

" _Indeed they are. You are right in your inquiry; house-elves do nourish themselves on the magic their masters would give them. As stated, they are surviving right now because these ruins are so closely tied from witchcraft and by proxy True Magic that every stone practically breathes magic. However, they are also merely surviving, not really living. This is also why these house-elves are so unenthusiastic_ ", Lady Drexis started to explain, before she turned her attention to the house-elves.

" _When practitioners of Witchcraft vanished from this realm, each Magical Creature reacted differently to it. House-elves were amongst those that suffered the worst. Without any wizards to bind themselves to, several thousands of them died within a few years. They would start gravitating to places that had close connections to Witchcraft, as they required that connection in order to keep living. Some of them managed to find their way here, and while they found it difficult to live here at first, considering that they had to live with Dementors; they would eventually grow a resistance to our aura several generations down the line._ "

"And now, I assume they also work here, providing food for the prisoners you keep", Naruto deduced as she looked at the house-elves.

" _Indeed. Eventually, we struck a deal with them that they would provide at least basic nourishment for the people that we keep around. It is the most they can do, as they have only enough energy for that. Without a Master, they are literally on life support, and that is only as long as they are within these walls. These are most likely the last of their kind_ ", Morgana responded solemnly.

Naruto stared at these poor creatures. It appeared that they had not even registered that there were other people present in the room aside themselves. Now when she really looked at them, she noticed that they were not just apathetic; they were depressed. They were shrouded in misery, and were almost like zombies, clinging on to the last shred of life they could possibly hold on to, as they had nothing else. She was broken out of her thoughts when she heard sniffling, and Naruto soon saw that one of the house-elves had curled up on the ground and was crying to herself. Before she had fully registered it, Naruto immediately went over and picked up the sobbing house-elf, and was soon petting it in her arms.

"There, there – it is going to be alright", Naruto tried to comfort the little elf, who was shaking her head.

"Why would it? Pocky has no master. What does it matter with no master", the house-elf named Pocky responded, with a high-pitched voice. Naruto could hear the utter despair and hopelessness in her voice. It was very reminiscent of when Naruto would be enveloped in her own feelings of hopelessness. Despite how determined she was, even Naruto was not without her moments of doubt, and would also fall into her own despair at times. She understood the feeling of not being wanted all too well, as it the curse of being an orphan; even more so if you are the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki.

"What if I became your Master", she asked on sheer instinct. This got the attention of not only the house-elf in her arms, but also the other house-elves as well. They were all staring at Naruto with wide eyes.

"Y-you would w-want Pocky to work for you", Pocky stuttered in disbelief, but also hope.

"Sure, if you want to; I can be the Master for all of you. My name is Naruto Uzumaki." She introduced herself to all twelve house-elves. "I am not sure it would work; but there is no harm in trying", Naruto responded a little uncertainly, but still gave a reassuring smile.

The house-elves responded immediately to this, and felt a newfound hope spreading through their bodies. They started waving their hands around, before they snapped their fingers. Naruto suddenly felt something strange, yet pleasant being connected to her very being. She then noticed that the house-elves were holding out their hands, as if they wanted her to take them. In return, she held out both her hands, and allowed all of them to grab on to her two hands, six on each. As she gently grasped their tiny hands; all of them smiled brightly, before the next second, something extraordinary happened. Their veins were showing and they started emanating a white glow, as did their eyes. After a few seconds, the glow faded away, and the house-elves breathed heavily.

"Are you okay", Naruto asked in concern for the small creatures. In response, they simply stood up and looked into the eyes of Naruto; their faces covered with the biggest grins one could imagine. Their ears, that had been drooping before were now pointing in excitement, and the same excitement and joy was shining in their big eyes.

"Yes, Lady Uzumaki. Pocky and we others are just so happy that we have a Master at last and you's very strong, missey", Pocky responded excitedly. The other elves nodded with the same amount of giddiness. "What would you like Pocky and us to do, missey?" Pocky and the other house-elves looked at Naruto with anticipation. Naruto herself was a bit unsure what to do with the situation. Could she simply order them what to do? Morgana had said that they followed any order for their master and that they lived in a symbiotic relationship with them, but it was still strange.

"Well, just keep doing what you have been doing. Just keep cooking, help out the Dementors if they need anything… maybe you could clean up parts of the ruins if that is possible", she commanded, her tone slightly unsure of the situation. Regardless, the house-elves nodded and bowed excitedly and in a flash, most of them were off to do their chores, whether it was cooking for the prisoners or cleaning up the ruins. Naruto blinked, processing what had just happened to her, as she turned around to the two Dementors accompanying her.

" _Well, well Naruto-kun; you are certainly a surprising one_ ", Lady Drexis stated as she chuckled alongside Morgana.

 **-End Flashback-**

Naruto chuckled lightly at the memory. To think that it was house elves that were behind her food. Not to mention the surprising effect she had on them once she bonded with them was amazing. Ever since that day, the House Elves had been way more enthusiastic in their jobs. They had indeed followed her orders, and started clearing up the ruins. Furthermore, while they had apparently not done much to improve the food of the prisoners; they had gone out of their way to make sure that the food Naruto ate was magnificent. She didn't even know how they got all the ingredients for what they did, but apparently it was a combination of magic and taking supplies from various villagers not too far away from Azkaban. Regardless of how they made the food; it was delicious and it was practically a feast every meal she ate. It was a good thing that as a Jinchuuriki that she had a marvellous metabolism.

However, the thought of delicious food reminded Naruto of her current conundrum, as she rubbed her forehead and groaned. Before, she could ponder any further, she felt a presence behind her and the recognisable aura of Morgana was soon next to her, looking out the window while floating next to her.

" _Hello Naruto-kun, what is bothering your clever little brain today_ ", Morgana started with a playful tone in her icy voice.

"Nothing Morgana, just letting my mind flow a bit. Why do you think anything is bothering me?"

" _Well, let me count down the reasons: first off, you didn't react at me using '-kun'. Secondly, I am a Dementor, and such I can feel your emotions no matter how well you try to hide them. And finally, the others and I have noticed that you are distracted at times during your studies_ ", the Dementor counted down with a firm tone. Naruto then turned her face towards Morgana, her eyes widening slightly.

"Have I been failing in my studies", she asked with worry lacing her tone.

" _No, you are a great student, fantastic in fact. But we have noticed that you have moments when you seem bothered by something, and we just want to help you with whatever it is that ails you. So please Naruto, tell me what is on your mind_ ", Morgana said gently to the young girl. She was fully aware that Naruto was insecure of her issues, and would have difficulties opening up about them. None of them wanted that to hinder the girl's already fantastic talent, so Morgana had volunteered to approach Naruto to hopefully get her to open up.

Though, to say that Naruto's progress was fantastic was something an understatement to be quite truthful. It had been two weeks already, and she was clearly showing that she was something else entirely. A good example of this was one of the first lessons they had. Naruto was just to learn a simple levitation charm on a simple feather, using wandless magic. They had thought that it would take Naruto a while, maybe a few days or so at most. But to their immense surprise; she managed to levitate the feather on the first try. True, it only floated for about five seconds before it fluttered down, but the fact that someone who had never once used witchcraft before was capable of levitating it at all, let alone on their first try, was extraordinary in itself.

And yet, Naruto didn't stop there. She was always determined to do the best she could, as she had promised. So Naruto would spend as much time as she could train it until she gained some level of proficiency on the spell. She had already gone from levitating feathers to pieces of paper, sticks and even books. Naruto was a hardworking prodigy and the Dementors were exalted over what this could lead to in the future. However, it was clear that something was bothering the young Jinchuuriki. It would only be for brief moments, and not last for long. Though, it was clear that it was something weighing down on the girl, who had already managed to become important to several Dementors, and as such; they wanted to help her nip it in the bud as early as possible.

Naruto sighed and looked out through the window in front of her. The wind was lightly blowing in her face, as she contemplated telling Morgana what was bothering her. Once again, she was surprised that she was so willing to open up to her Dementor friend.

"Remember the day when I arrived here?"

" _Yes, I remember – what of it?_ "

"Well, before I was attacked by that riot planned by that man Danzo, followed by the Root-nin trying to capture me; I was going to meet up with two dear friends of mine: Ayame and Teuchi Ichiraku", Naruto started.

" _Oh yeah, I remember you told me about them. They are those people that make that noodle dish you love… ramen, correct_ ", Morgana briefly interrupted, to which Naruto nodded.

"Indeed. They are two of the only people – well, human anyway – that have never treated me like I was a monster. They welcomed me in, and even gave me free ramen, at a point where I had nothing", Naruto explained with a smile growing on her lips. Morgana was filled with joy at seeing her smile.

"Anyway", Naruto decided to continue her explanation. "I was going to meet up with them that day to tell them the truth. I wanted to finally open up to them about me actually being a girl, especially with Ayame, so I could have someone to talk to about… you know, girl issues. However, the thing with Root happened, and as such…"

" _You were never able to tell either of them about it. I am not sure I understand why it bothers you so much though_ ", Morgana inquired.

"Because I promised myself the night before that I would tell them the truth. I promised myself to finally open up to some of the only people I considered to be friends. If I cannot keep a promise to myself, then how can I to you guys or Kyuubi", Naruto asked, as she clenched her fists.

Morgana now understood the situation at hand. One thing she had learned about Naruto was that she seemed to have a strong sense of honour. If she gave her word, then she would go through the fires of hell itself in order to keep that word.

" _If you are worried about breaking your word, I would say calm down. You were going to tell them, but circumstances out of your control forced you to end up here. Then you have had to process everything that has happened to you here. So, by all accounts, you haven't broken your promise. If you had been meeting up with them, and then failed to tell them, THEN you would have undeniably broken your promise to yourself. But as it is, you still have yet to fulfil it, that's all_ ", Morgana tried to console the young girl.

"And that's the thing: I have yet to fulfil my promise. They deserve to know, and until I tell them; this is going to hang on to me. The problem is that I cannot just go up and tell them physically. If I used a way to get back to Konoha; I risk my promise to both you and Kyuubi, by possibly getting captured by Danzo or something else that prevents me from coming back. And as far as I can tell, there is no way to send any form of message from here, at least none that won't draw attention", Naruto explained with a deep sigh.

" _I see your issue, and you are right. We have never really had any way of communicating, considering that Dementors rarely interact with other species, if ever. While you could have the house-elves send a message; they would stand out like a sore thumb. Not to mention that the village would instantly pick up on them using magic_ ", Morgana sighed.

" _You would need something that could enter the village and not use magic to do so. Sadly, we do not have anything-_ ", she continued until she stopped herself. Morgana put her finger on her chin, as she seemed to analyse something. Naruto turned her head towards her Dementor companion, wondering what Morgana could be thinking about.

" _Huh, things just keeps getting more and more interesting around you, Naruto_ ", Morgana said after a while with a chuckle.

"What is it", Naruto asked, as she fully turned towards Morgana.

" _Come, there is something I want to show you. It may be able to help you with your problem, and it is not far from here_ ", Morgana replied as she started floating away. Naruto moved after the Dementor as they started walking towards whatever destination Morgana had in mind.

"Where are we going", she asked.

" _Tell me Naruto, have you ever noticed any animals around here?_ " Morgana's question took Naruto by surprise, but she pondered the answer to her question. As Naruto contemplated, she realised something. She had not seen a single animal in this place, not even bugs. It wasn't that it was too cold for any animals to be around either, as it was still summer. It was like there was no other creature living here aside from the Dementors, House-elves, and now Naruto herself.

"No, I haven't", she replied upon this realisation.

" _And you wouldn't have. Some live in the forest, but they try not to get too close to Azkaban. The reason for this is because practically no creature can comfortably stay around Dementors. Our mere presence produce fear and discomfort, so no creature can actually remain near us for long. The only exception, to some degree, is other magical creatures. This is the reason the house-elves developed an immunity with time_ ", Morgana explained.

"That's interesting to know, but what does this have to do with my current problem", Naruto asked, still confused about the situation at hand, as they were now standing in front of a door.

" _Well, why don't I show you?_ " Morgana then opened the door. Beyond the door was one of the many ruined rooms of Azkaban. The walls had fallen apart along with the roof, revealing the open nature. However, that wasn't what caught Naruto's attention.

Instead, it was on one the remains of the broken stone wall, where perched upon the stones; a snow white owl was sitting, preening its feathers with its black beak. Upon hearing that they entered, the owl stopped its preening, and looked at Naruto with a curious stare glittering in its amber eyes.

"Wait, an owl – but why and how is there an owl here at Azkaban? I thought you said all animals avoided this place", Naruto asked Morgana, as she looked at the snow white, young bird.

" _Indeed they do. This owl seems to be different though. You see, Apraxia approached us a few days ago, and told us that she was floating around, when she suddenly spotted this owl sitting within this room. At first, she thought it was going to fly away, but to her surprise it never did_ ", Morgana explained as Naruto's eyes filled with confusion at this.

" _It would just look at her, before occasionally leaving to catch some mice, and then always coming back to this exact spot. I suspect that it may be here because it is waiting for something, or maybe someone. And considering there is only one person here that has arrived recently, who also is in touch with True Magic and recently Witchcraft; I suspect that someone is you._ " Naruto's eyes widened at this. It sounded so outlandish, like it possibly couldn't be true. However, something within her actually stated that this was the exact reason that owl was here. She didn't know what part of this was, but she suspected it was whatever connection to True Magic she had that may be responsible for her realising this.

"That is remarkable, and the owl is beautiful. I would be honoured to take it as a partner. However, I still fail to see how this fixes my problem."

" _Well, you see; back when witches and wizards were around, they used various ways of communicating with each other. At one point, someone started thinking of the idea of using owls, or other birds to carry their messages and news. Owls were usually the preferred option, and they would carry any messages to their designated location_ ", Morgana explained.

"Wait, you are telling me that I could use this owl to communicate with the Ichirakus and anyone else for that matter", Naruto asked in amazement.

" _Yes, and give you some extra company as well_ ", Morgana replied. Naruto nodded, before turning back to the owl, who was still staring at Naruto with curiosity brimming in its gaze. The two locked their gazes with each other, as Naruto stepped forward towards the owl.

"Hello there, my name is Naruto. I… don't really know what to say in this situation, but I would really like your friendship and help with some matters of great importance. Do you think you would like to help", she said as she slowly reached out her open palm hand to the owl.

The owl looked at Naruto with a confused gaze, as if it wanted to, but was not sure why it was so willing. Its instincts did tell the owl to accept the girl's offering, as such gently put its talons on the girl's forearm in order to not hurt her. Naruto brought up the owl towards her face, so they could look each other in the eye. Naruto felt a strange connection to the bird, and the bird felt it as well judging by the familiar shine that twinkled in its eye.

" _Well, I guess that when you now own an owl, you should also give it some sort of name, and-_ "

"Her name is Hedwig", Naruto interrupted Morgana, who looked shocked at the girl and the owl. "For some reason, I felt a connection with her, and I instantly knew who she was", Naruto explained, as she held up her hand to her right shoulder, and let the owl climb on. Morgana chuckled at this.

" _So many surprises in one packet… anyway, I recommend you go back to your room, and write letters to anyone you wish to write to. You have the rest of the day off anyway, so you should have plenty of time to do so_ ", she stated. Naruto nodded excitedly.

"I will do that straight away- and Morgana, thank you so much", she replied, before she went up and hugged Morgana, who was frozen at the touch. Before she could respond, Naruto had already rushed off to her room. Morgana chuckled to herself.

" _No problem at all, Naruto-chan. No problem at all…_ "

 **-Later, in Naruto's chambers-**

Naruto was finishing her letter, excitement in her entire being. After she had arrived to her room, she had called on one of house-elves, more specifically Pocky, and asked her to prepare some snacks for Hedwig, before Naruto went out to write her letters. She had first written a letter to the Ichirakus, but after writing it; Naruto realised that she wanted to tell the others too, so she decided to try to write letters to others in her life who mattered. After this, she once more called one of the other house-elves; this one was named Poppy, and asked him to craft something that allowed Hedwig to carry all of the letters at once. Poppy managed to surprise her with a swiftly made, but still pretty leather pouch, which could be put around Hedwig's neck, and allow her to fly unhindered. It even had a charm on it that made the bag light as a feather. With this, Naruto could happily write the letters she wished, and not worry about Hedwig carrying too much.

However, the problem was that she didn't know the identity of all her close ones, as Dog, Weasel and Crow were all part of Anbu. If she asked Hedwig to deliver a letter to them, not only may the beautiful owl get captured and hurt, but she may even send it to the wrong person, on account of them all wearing masks. Okay, while she DID know the identity of Crow, she couldn't send a letter to him, due to the clan he came from, which absolutely despised her guts. She didn't blame the Kyuubi for this, but she did blame the idiocy of humanity once more. So, while she couldn't send a letter to any of her other close people, she did manage to write a letter to Hinata as well. Naruto felt that both girls could use a friend that were of the same age.

She had just finished Hinata's letter, and gently blew on the paper to let the ink dry off. Naruto then turned her gaze towards Hedwig. Her latest companion was sitting on her bed, and seemed to be taking a nap. The sight made Naruto smile. She had asked Hedwig if she was okay with delivering her letters, and surprisingly; the owl had bopped her head as if nodding. Naruto figured out rather swiftly that Hedwig was a very clever bird, and seemed to understand everything she was saying. Naruto didn't know whether this was due to the owl's connection to her or not, but regardless; she appreciated the fact that she had another friend in her midst.

She then looked at her letters, and started wondering if there was someone else she should write to. However, after a while, she realised that there was one she could write a letter to, but she lost her smile at this: Hokage-jiji, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

To be perfectly honest; she was hesitant to send a letter to Hiruzen. She still hadn't forgotten that he had kept things secret from her, and all of the distrust she had been harbouring came to the forefront of her mind in that moment. How much of what he said could genuinely be trusted, and how much of it was merely fabrication?

However, as much as she couldn't ignore the secrets and mistrust; likewise, she couldn't ignore the many things Hokage-jiji had done for her. He gave her an apartment, taught her how to read and write alongside the Ichirakus, and spent time with her, and even listened to her plights. It was also why the idea of him lying to her and keeping secrets hurt so much. She could wasn't sure if she could ever truly forgive Konoha for their horrible treatment towards her. Deep down, she wished that Hiruzen would not be added to that category. After all, he had helped her with many things in her life. Though she couldn't help but wonder to herself:

Did these actions come from a pure kind heart, or was it merely him trying to alleviate himself of his guilt? Or even worse, was it all a ruse to manipulate her into becoming a submissive weapon, not too dissimilar to what Danzo desired?

Regardless of his motives, he had still done these things for her. So Naruto would give Hokage-jiji the benefit of doubt, and send him a message as well. Naruto picked up a final piece of paper, and started writing to the old man, in order to inform him at the very least that she was safe, and that she was aware of him keeping secrets from her. One day, she would confront him. By that point, she would have more experience, knowledge, and power under her belt. Then, she would find out the truth, and know once and for all what kind of man Hiruzen Sarutobi truly had been and become.

She finished her final letter, and let the ink dry, before she put it next to the other two letters, before she put all three of them into small envelopes, and then wrote the names of the recipients on them. Naruto then turned to her latest companion.

"Hedwig", she gently called out to the snow white owl, who stirred awake. After blinking the drowsiness out of her eyes; Hedwig took notice that Naruto was looking at her. The owl gently flew over to the large desk in front of Naruto, before it gently chirped.

"Hello girl, would you be so kind to deliver these letters for me", Naruto asked gently, to which Hedwig seemed to chirp in affirmation. Naruto smiled, before she held up the letters.

"Now, these will go to the Ichirakus, Hinata Hyuuga and Hiruzen Sarutobi. Can you tell who they are from our connection?" Once again Hedwig seemed to chirp in confirmation, before Naruto put the one for the Ichirakus and Hinata in the leather pouch, before holding up the only letter left, which was addressed to the Hokage.

"Now, here is the important part, Hedwig. This letter that is addressed to Hokage-jiji should be left at his home first. He should be living at the Hokage Residence, so just drop of the letter there without him seeing you. The other letters are in the leather pouch around your neck. When you have delivered them personally, wait until they have given a response as well, please. However, if you should be in danger, get out of there immediately. Have you understood", Naruto explained to the owl, who in turn just nodded.

She also seemed to be slightly peeved, and her following chirp seemed to indicate that Naruto made her seem incompetent. At this, Naruto apologised, as she was merely concerned about Hedwig's well-being, which made the owl gently rub her head and beak at Naruto's hand, as if showing that she accepted Naruto's apology. Naruto smiled, before she gently put the leather pouch around Hedwig's neck, and then held the single letter to Hiruzen in front of her beak, which Hedwig bit onto. Hedwig then climbed up on Naruto's outstretched arm, before Naruto walked up to the open window in her chambers. Naruto then held out the arm, allowing Hedwig to take off at a surprising speed. Judging by the speed, it looked like she would reach her destination in just a few hours or so.

Naruto looked as Hedwig was flying away with a smile. She just hoped everything would turn out alright. She decided, as she could nothing more now than wait and hope that Hedwig would come back safely, that she should read something, while also practice her spellcasting.

 **-The same evening, in Konoha-**

The sun was setting in the distance, colouring the skies in shades of orange and red, with some shades of dark blue in the mix, as the night was slowly approaching. Within the Ichiraku Restaurant, Ayame Ichiraku was sweeping away the final dust from the floor to the outside, being careful not to accidentally sweep the dust onto some unsuspecting pedestrian. It had been a slow day for them, as there had not been many customers around today. However, there was also a feeling of melancholy over the restaurant, and all of it was due to the lack of a particular blonde boy.

Ayame sighed and went back behind the counter with her father, who was cleaning some dishes. He was also wearing the same expression of worry and melancholy as she was. For the past two weeks, they had not seen or heard anything from Naruto. They had even gone to his apartment, but after knocking on his door; they got no response. Upon entering, by using one the spare keys they had been entrusted with; they saw nothing that suggested that Naruto had been there for a while. They were worried for a while that Naruto may have been sent to the hospital, but they also knew if that was the case; they would hear about it. The villagers had a disgusting habit of bragging whenever they put the poor boy in the hospital.

Instead, the only thing that was circulating around the village was a rumour that Naruto may have disappeared, if not been kidnapped by enemy ninja. The Ichirakus was aware that he most likely were either in hiding, or those rumours were true. He had disappeared shortly after that massive mob had formed about two weeks ago. It couldn't be just a coincidence. Something had happened to him, and they had no idea what it was. They say that ignorance is bliss; well, the Ichirakus would wholeheartedly disagree in this case.

"Are you okay, Ayame", Teuchi asked his daughter. Ayame snapped out of her thoughts and looked up at her father, who had a face of concern. "Do you want to quit early? I can take care of the restaurant if you want."

"Thanks tou-san, but I'll be fine", Ayame replied as she stepped behind the counter. "Besides, I need something to distract myself with." Teuchi smiled and gently put a hand on her should

"Hey, I'm sure Naruto is fine", Teuchi said, but while he tried to be convincing both of them, his voice didn't carry the full conviction of his thoughts. Still, it made Ayame slightly smile alongside Teuchi, as both of them needed to hold on to the hope that their friend was alright.

Suddenly, their thoughts were interrupted when a snow white owl flew in from the opening, before it landed on top of the counter. Both Teuchi and Ayame were shocked by this, as while the occasional bird had wandered into their store; they had never had an owl fly in out of nowhere. Teuchi was about to shoo the bird away; when Ayame stopped him, and pointed at the owl or more specifically what the owl was carrying. It was at this point that Teuchi noticed the leather pouch the owl was carrying around its neck. Why on earth would an owl carrying a leather pouch fly in here?

Before he could voice his question, the owl shrugged off the leather pouch, which landed lightly on the counter. Then the owl used its beak to open up the pouch, and reached into the pouch and pulled out a rectangular envelope, before it held out said envelope towards them. This bird was here to deliver mail? Who on earth would send an owl? Teuchi slowly approached, before he gently grabbed the letter, and took it away from the owl. The owl did not put up any fight, thus reaffirming to the chef that the owl was there to deliver a letter. It then perched itself on top of the counter, and seemed to look at Teuchi expectantly. Teuchi took this as a sign that he should read the letter, and he looked down at the envelope, which read 'The Ichirakus'. His eyes widened at the sight, not at what was written, but rather the handwriting.

"Ayame, close the store now", Teuchi said urgently.

"Tou-san, what's the matter", Ayame asked, and would have probably said more if Teuchi wasn't holding up the envelope for her to see. Her eyes widened as she instantly recognised Naruto's hand writing. Without another word, Ayame instantly went around the counter, and pulled down the metallic door, thus closing the store, so no one would interrupt them. After Ayame returned to stand next to her father, Teuchi opened up the letter and both of them started reading the first words they had gotten from Naruto in two weeks:

 _Hello Ayame-chan &Teuchi-ojii!_

 _It's me, Naruto!_

 _If you are reading this, then it means that Hedwig got my message to you. Hedwig is the owl that delivered it. Isn't she beautiful?_

 _Actually, before you keep reading, I would like to ask you to keep this letter to yourself! I am not sure who I can trust outside you and a few others, and I would rather she didn't get hurt by anyone who may have… less than favourable opinions of me._

 _Anyway, the reason I am writing this letter is because of several reasons. First off, I wanted you to know that I am safe, and let you know what happened. About two weeks ago (depending on when this letter gets to you), when that mob formed; I was kidnapped by Shinobi who were working for a man that wanted to use me for his own goals._

 _However, during their capture, I was taken to a location far away from Konoha through a very special (though uncomfortable) travelling method. At this location, the Shinobi that captured me were defeated by a group of interesting people. They are not Shinobi, but are still incredibly powerful. They have taken me in as a member of their group, and they are now my friends._

 _They have even agreed to teach me awesome new techniques, both within ninja techniques and how to use chakra, but also techniques that no Shinobi has even known about before. Isn't that cool?_

 _Anyway, I wanted you to know that I am safe, but also I am going to be gone for at least seven years during this training, so you won't see me in Konoha before then._

 _However, there is more to this message. The truth is that I have not been entirely truthful to either of you. On the day I was kidnapped, I was on my way to open up to you guys. I wanted you to be the first amongst others that I could open up to, so I wouldn't have to hide. However, as you know the kidnapping happened and prevented me from talking to you._

 _Nevertheless, thanks to Hedwig, I am now capable of communicating with you. As such, I want you to know the couple of truths about me. Here we go:_

 _First off, I am actually not a boy, I am a girl. My name is still Naruto, but I am just a girl._

 _The reason why I have never told you is because… well, you know I am not liked in the village. I have been attacked and brutally tortured on several occasions, and if anyone found out that I am actually a girl… I think you know what could happen._

 _The second truth I wanted to share with you is actually the reason I am so hated in the village:_

 _I am the Jinchuuriki for the Kyuubi no Kitsune._

 _If you don't know what a Jinchuuriki is; it means that I am the container of one of the tailed beasts. In this case, I am the container of the Nine-tailed Fox that attacked at the night of my birth._

 _I am so sorry that I lied about these things and kept them secret, it's just… I have always found it difficult to open up to anyone, even if they are close to me. I have been so used to keeping things to myself, that it is almost alien to me to open up like this._

 _The truth is, I have always I wanted to tell you because you two are very important to me. You took me in when very few would, and you have even fed me. I consider you to not just be friends, but also my family._

 _I would love to keep in touch with you, but if you do not want to keep in touch because I lied to you, I understand. I am sorry for breaking your trust. Even if you hate me, you two will always be my precious people._

 _I hope you respond back. Hedwig will wait until you have made a decision. She is very smart, so you can talk to her like she is any other human, and she will understand you._

 _Love,_

 _Naruto Uzumaki_

Teuchi and Ayame were staring at the letter in front of them, with a few tears dropping down their faces. They had never fully realised the sheer magnitude of what Naruto was keeping hidden. They knew about Naruto's status as the container of the Kyuubi, and they had never held that against Naruto. However, they had never really talked with Naruto about the severe beatings that he- she would take from the villagers that were blinded with their own rage and grief to see that Naruto was merely the prison to the Kyuubi, and not the beast itself.

"Naruto is a girl", Ayame stated with surprise in her voice. "She has hid her real gender her whole life? Poor girl", Ayame stated sadly. The waitress had become thirteen that very same year and Ayame was now developing as a woman. As such, Ayame knew how detrimental it was for a person, whether it be boy or girl, to be comfortable with whom they are. Teuchi had also been very affirmative with the fact that Ayame should be herself. So the idea of being forced to hide it like Naruto was forced to hide her gender was something she could even think of doing.

Now, Ayame did in no way think that Naruto would ever become an overly feminine girl. Ayame could not picture Naruto, regardless of gender, being interested in sitting down talking about the latest fashion, or boys for that matter. It just wasn't in Naruto's nature, as even if she had hid her gender; Ayame could tell that she was still genuine in her interactions with Ayame. And the character Naruto portrayed was more of a determined fighter than anything.

"I know what you mean. He- I mean, she has gone through a lot." Teuchi nodded at Ayame's words. The secret that Naruto was connected to the Kyuubi was never really that well-kept of a secret. However, Naruto could never have known how they would react to knowing the truth. She was obviously used to keep things to herself.

They heard a chirp, and looked over to see the snow white owl, apparently named Hedwig, looking at them a bit impatiently. It seemed that she was waiting for them to respond to her master's letter. Teuchi nodded.

"I guess we should give him- I mean her a response. Boy, this is going to take some time getting used to", he stated. Ayame nodded, before she suddenly squealed, much to Teuchi's shock. "What is the matter, Ayame?"

"I just realised that I now have a little sister that I can tease. And with those cute whisker marks, I am sure that she will be a heartbreaker", Ayame squealed in delight. Teuchi chuckled and shook his head at his daughter, before he brought out a new envelope, and two pieces of paper.

"Okay Ayame, write a letter of your own, and I will write my own. I am sure she would appreciate if we both made the effort of writing to her", Teuchi stated. Ayame nodded, before both of them started writing to their family member in all but blood.

Several minutes later, both of them had finished their respective letters, and Teuchi put both papers within the envelope, before sealing it. He then put it into the leather pouch that was still seated on top of the counter, before he put it around the owl's neck, who accepted it without any argument.

"Wait, Hedwig was it", Teuchi asked, to which the owl looked up at Teuchi and seemed to almost nod. "Well, before you fly away, let me show you something." Teuchi picked up some raw meat from the kitchen, before he held out his arm to Hedwig, who climbed up on his arm, with what seemed to be practiced ease. The duo walked out to the back with Ayame right behind them, as Teuchi fed the owl.

"Whenever you deliver any letter to either me or Ayame; please fly into this alleyway, and wait until one of us come outside, which we often do. It is not as noticeable as the front, and it is much safer for you", Teuchi explained. "Do you understand?" Hedwig seemed to nod, and gave a small chirp before it started flying away.

"See you next time, Hedwig", Ayame called after the snow white owl that was now flying away. Both Ichirakus were smiling at the fact that Naruto was safe and sound, and what seemed to be in capable hands. They just prayed that there was nothing wrong with the place, but Naruto was a smart kid; and she would most likely be fine.

"Well Ayame, we cannot stand here all day. Please open up the store again", Teuchi said after a while. Ayame nodded, and went back in and opened up the store. As soon as she had pulled up the metal doors; she was greeted with the sight of Iruka Umino, a Chuunin and recently appointed Academy Teacher, who also happened to be a regular customer.

"Hello there, I noticed that you had closed up, and I thought it was a bit early for that", said the young Shinobi, while gently scratching his brown hair that was up in a pony-tail.

"Oh, hello there Iruka-san", Teuchi replied as he entered from the back. "And we briefly shut down, because there was an accident, and we didn't want anyone to see it." Iruka may be a nice guy, but Teuchi would respect Naruto's request of keeping their correspondence secret. As such, Teuchi would lie through his teeth if he had to.

"Oh okay, I hope that you weren't injured", Iruka said, concern evident in his dark eyes.

"Nothing to worry about, we are fine. Just wanted to keep it to ourselves", Teuchi said with a smile, probably the first genuine smile he had in the last two weeks. "So, now when everything is taken care of; what would you like to order Iruka-san?"

 **-Meanwhile, at the Hyuuga Compound-**

After a long day of training, Hinata Hyuuga entered her room. The seven-year old sighed deeply as she slumped down onto the chair by her desk, and leaned against it as she looked outside her open window, that was blowing in a soft wind into her room. Her short, blue hair was cut in a hime-cut, with chin-length strands framing her face. Hinata's featureless eyes, with twinges of lavender, reflected a sense of despair as she looked out on the trees outside.

She was still wearing her black training suit that she wore when she was training with her father and the rest of her clan. Today had been a harsh day, when her father had put her against, one of the elders, who had absolutely torn into her. This was because of her distaste for the Hyuuga Main Family's Cursed Seal, also known as the Caged Bird Seal, which did not get much approval from the elders. As such, they would be extra harsh against Hinata, as they hoped that by breaking her down; they would also break down her chances of becoming the heiress, thereby giving that right over to her younger three-year old sister, Hanabi.

Hinata's body ached, but what hurt her even more, than the multiple attacks she had forced to suffer, was the disappointed look she had seen in her father's eyes. Hinata's gentle disposition towards people and the Branch members did not correspond well with the cold, ruthless efficiency of the Main Family. Her father kept viewing his oldest daughter as a disappointment, and would never fully approve of her demeanour.

It also didn't help that she had heard some talk about the disappearance of Naruto. There had been a few rumours circulating the village about Naruto being kidnapped by enemy Shinobi. This had been merely a rumour at first, but a few days ago; Hinata overheard Hiashi's discussion with another clan head about the boy's disappearance and kidnapping, and who could possibly have taken him. This information had broken Hinata's heart and made her beyond sad after hearing it.

Ever since that day at the park, when the boy had fought off a bunch of bullies who had surrounded and kept picking on her due to her gentle demeanour; Hinata had begun finding an interest in the boy. The boy talked to her and occasionally spent time with her, just because he wanted to, not because of any political favour that he may get due to her being the heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. And she enjoyed talking to him. It was his inner strength alongside his nice and welcoming personality that she found interesting, and for a girl with very little self-confidence; Hinata wished to learn how to be more like that.

Her thought process was suddenly broken when the flapping of wings filled the air of her room, as a snow white owl flew in from her open window. The young girl gasped at the sudden intrusion of the avian creature. Before she could gather herself; the owl landed on her bed. Hinata watched in fascination as the owl put down some kind of leather pouch on the bed, before it used its beak to open up the pouch and then pull out an envelope. It focused its amber eyes on Hinata, as it presented her with the envelope.

Shyly, Hinata reached out and gently grabbed the letter from the owl that kept looking expectantly at Hinata, even after it had let go of the letter. She looked down at the letter in her hand, and just saw her name printed on the envelope. Hinata opened the letter, and started reading the first few lines:

 _Hey Hinata!_

 _This is Naruto._

After she had read the first two lines, Hinata froze. This was a letter from Naruto-kun?! She hastily sat down and gave her entire focus on the letter, forgetting the presence of the owl that was now perched on her bed and hooting gently as it was looking at her curiously.

 _I hope you are alright, Hinata. I am not sure what rumours have been going around about me, but the truth is that I was captured by people who wished to use me for their own gain. Fortunately, I was saved by a group of really nice people. They have even agreed to take me in and teach me magnificent techniques and abilities. How awesome is that?_

 _However, because of this; I have also made a promise to stay and learn under them. As such, I will be gone for about seven years. This is also why I will not return until then, as I take my promises very seriously._

 _Though, I still want to keep into contact with you. And thanks to Hedwig (my owl, isn't she pretty?), I can keep in touch. However, first I need to tell you the truth about something._

 _I am actually a girl. It really doesn't change anything, because I am still me, but I have still hid my gender from everyone. The only reason I didn't tell you was because your bodyguard would always be around, and I can tell that he didn't like me._

 _Also, the reason for hiding my gender in the first place is because the village doesn't like me. And sadly, there are bad men in this world that will do HORRIBLE things to girls if they could. This is the reason that I have hid it. Then it just became a force of habit to keep things to myself._

 _However, I wanted you to be one of the first of my precious people to know the truth about my real gender. I consider you to be my friend, and someone important in my life. I hope that I can be someone important in your life as well._

 _No matter what anyone says Hinata; you are an awesome girl. I can see that deep down, you have an amazing strength. Alongside that, you are also compassionate and sweet, which is more than I can say for most people living in Konoha._

 _Believe in yourself, and I will be there to help you along the way, if you let me._

 _Please send a response as soon as possible, and put it into Hedwig's pouch. She will then deliver it to me. Also, I would prefer if you kept this letter to yourself, as I am very distrustful of the village, aside from a select few._

 _Hope to hear from you soon,_

 _Naruto Uzumaki_

Hinata looked at the letter she had received with both surprise and joy, as her cheeks were flaring up like wildfire. She was surprised, as she hadn't expected Naruto to be a girl. It may not really change that much in terms of who she is, but it actually changes in the fact that Naruto doesn't act like most girls Hinata's age. This made her more interesting to Hinata, as Naruto didn't cater to the norm at all.

Furthermore, Hinata felt privileged by Naruto's words. Hinata was considered to be one of her important people? And not only that, but Naruto also believed in her? Hinata somehow blushed even more at this. She was so used to people looking down at her, and to find someone who opened up to her, and confessed that they thought she was a strong person? That alone filled Hinata with excitement and joy.

With a smile, Hinata turned to her desk, and brought out a piece of paper. She started carefully writing down every word she wanted to convey. She didn't want to alienate her friend already, and break Naruto's belief in her. Hinata wanted to make Naruto proud in her, and she felt that with Naruto's help; she could become great. Hinata also hoped that she could help Naruto along.

Sometime later, she had managed to finish her letter. Hinata turned to Hedwig, who had fallen asleep.

"Um… excuse me, Hedwig-san", Hinata gently called out to the owl, who stirred awake. The amber eyes of the snowy owl blinked as it woke up from its nap. "Um, could you be so kind Hedwig-san as to deliver this letter back to Naruto-kun- I mean, Naruto-chan", she gently asked the bird. The bird chirped in confirmation, before Hinata smiled and put the letter into the envelope she had received her letter in, and then put said envelope into Hedwig's pouch. Hinata then put the pouch around Hedwig's neck, before she gently pet Hedwig on her head.

"I may not have any treat, but please now that I am truly grateful for connecting me and Naruto", Hinata thanked the avian creature. The owl gently hooted, before it jumped up to the window that was right next to the bed. Hedwig then flapped her wings and flew out the window. Hinata looked after Hedwig, as the owl disappeared into the red evening sky.

' _I will be strong, Naruto-chan. We both will'_ , Hinata thought, determination sparkling in her being as a newfound fire was ignited. It was weak at the moment, but it would have time to grow.

 **\- Just outside the Hokage Residence -**

Hiruzen was walking up to the Hokage Residence, the building in which the current Hokage would always reside within, well with the exception of Minato. He never really moved into that place, but he did visit at occasion for the scrolls. The old man sighed as he opened up the door in front of him. It had been two weeks, and not a single clue that could tell the whereabouts of Naruto Uzumaki. His Anbu operatives had reported nothing yet that may clue in as to what Danzo may have done to the girl. Nothing suggested that he had Naruto in his grasp, if anything; Danzo was just as determined to find Naruto as Hiruzen was. Hiruzen just wanted to find the girl, and make sure she was alright. He couldn't fail her parents, not again!

Sighing, the Sandaime entered his residence, and looked down to find some letters that had been sent to this place. Even though most of his mail would be sent to his office; the personal letters from family and friends would always be sent to the Hokage Residence. He picked up from the floor, before he shut the door behind him, and went into the large living room. There, he would light up a fire from the big fire place he had, before he sat down in a large, comfortable, red wing chair, which was seated next to a small circular table.

Hiruzen started looking over his mail. First, he had gotten a postcard from his three-year old grandson, Konohamaru. It was written poorly, as expected from a three-year old, and read:

 _Hello Jiji – I mis you. I hope you come home soon._

 _Konohamaru Sarutobi, next Hokage!_

The postcard made him smile. He also noticed that the address was written much neater, so he assumed that Konohamaru's caretaker wrote it for him. It was sweet, and he knew that his grandson would turn four this December. He would have to make sure to make time for that. Especially since Asuma left after their disagreement; there weren't many family members from the Sarutobi clan around little Konohamaru anymore. Maybe he should move back to the clan compound as well.

Hiruzen shook his head. He would worry about that later. He looked at the next thing delivered to him: a small package. He opened it, and immediately held a copy of the latest edition of Jiraiya's best-selling series of novels: the Icha Icha series. This edition was titled **Icha Icha Journeys**. Alongside this was a note from his former student:

 _Hello Sensei, how are you doing?_

 _I am sending you the latest issue of the Icha Icha series. I am currently planning the next two issues already, which I think will be named_ _ **Icha Icha Depths**_ _, followed by perhaps one named_ _ **Icha Icha Paradise**_. _We'll see what happens._

 _Anyway, I also wanted to tell you that while I have just finished the latest edition; I have also found some crucial and suspicious intelligence that I need to look into. I am sending this letter and this novel just before I am following this lead._

 _Because of this, I am not going to be able to receive nor respond to any letters or messages for at least a month. Sorry in advance as to why I have not responded to any recent letters you may have sent._

 _Well, I will get my updates as soon as I am done. Enjoy that book, sensei!_

 _Jiraiya_

 _'_ _So that is why I haven't heard anything from Jiraiya'_ , Hiruzen thought to himself, as he noted that the package had been sent to him a little over two weeks ago. This meant that when he sent the urgent note to Jiraiya regarding Naruto's disappearance; Jiraiya wasn't even available to read it. The Third Hokage sighed. It just seemed more and more obstacles rose regarding the discovery of Naruto's safety. He consoled himself, trying to reassure himself that soon enough; they would find her.

 _'_ _Though as a consolation, I do have the next Icha Icha to ease my worries'_ , Hiruzen giggled perversely to himself. First though, he would check what the last letter sent to him was. He held it up and looked at it.

Hiruzen felt every fraction of his being freeze up when he saw the white envelope in his hand. On it, his name was written. He instantly recognised the handwriting. After all, Hiruzen had been teaching this person how to write and read alongside the Ichirakus. This was Naruto's handwriting, without a doubt. He instantly put away the novel and postcard on the small table next to his chair, before he opened up the envelope and pulled out a single piece of paper, and started reading it:

 _Hello Hokage-Jiji,_

 _This is Naruto, as I am sure you noticed by the handwriting. I am not sure what you have figured out by this point, but the truth of the matter is that I was kidnapped by Danzo and his Root Shinobi. Don't ask me how I know these things, it is not relevant. I am not in Danzo's captivity at the moment, but I would still keep Danzo under a close eye. He is definitely not to be trusted, but I get the suspicion you know this already._

 _I am currently safe with the people who interfered with my capture. They have also agreed to look after me and train me. I agreed to their offer, and as such I will be gone for several years._

 _To be honest, I wasn't sure if I should write this letter to you at all. In the end, I decided that you deserved to know that I am safe, at the very least._

 _I am sure you know already, but I will spell it out anyway; I don't fully trust you, Hiruzen. And it really hurts me to say that out loud, Hokage-jiji._

 _You have helped me with so many things, and I am really grateful for each and every one of them. I wish it was possible for me to ignore it all, but I just cannot ignore the fact that you have been keeping important secrets from me._

 _For one, I know about the Kyuubi, Hokage-jiji. I have known about it since my seventh birthday, though to be fair; it wasn't that hard to figure out. I know you have been keeping it a secret from me, but I can also sympathise as to why you kept it a secret. Is there really any right way of telling someone that a millennia old fox resides within their belly? So I don't fully hold it against you._

 _But I can tell that you are keeping other secrets from me. Because of this, I am not sure how much of what you have done is truthful or not. I am giving you the benefit of doubt for now, but know that it will take effort to regain my trust._

 _You may hear from me through these letters, I cannot say. The point is that I am safe, and I am happy where I am currently. One day, I am sure we will meet face to face, and when we meet; I expect nothing but the honest truth from you. Then we'll see where we stand._

 _Stay safe, as even though I may distrust you, I still consider you to be dear to me._

 _Naruto Uzumaki_

Hiruzen sat frozen in his chair, as his emotions were going haywire. The crackling of the flames in the fire place was the only noise that filled the empty, silent room. The Third Hokage was both feeling happy and sad at what he had just read. He was happy that Naruto seemed to be safe, though he was sad that she wasn't coming back for a long time. And what cut him even deeper was the fact that she had clearly stated her distrust of him, due to him keeping secrets from her. She seemed sympathetic to his decision, but made it clear that she would not tolerate any further deceit on his end.

At the same time, Hiruzen also felt rage building up in his body. He now knew for sure that Danzo was behind it, and truthfully he had always known, but the fact that he had proof from Naruto in his hand, simply confirmed it. A part of him, who still saw Danzo as a friend, was praying that his old rival would in fact be innocent of this crime. But now there was no excuse.

Of course, Hiruzen was mildly sceptical regarding the authenticity of the letter. Someone could have either forced Naruto to write it, or could have pretended to write it in her stead. He decided that he would ask Kakashi for the aid of Pakkun in the morning. He hadn't found anything from backtracking, and his dog had in fact gotten sick for a few days from some strange chemical that was used to cover the perpetrators tracks. Thankfully, he was fine now, and was ready for duty. Pakkun could easily confirm if Naruto wrote this, and if Danzo or anyone else was involved with this.

However, the Third Hokage also realised that if this was true, then it meant that his theory of Danzo being the one who originally kidnapped her, but then something went wrong with his plans, was the truth, and not just speculation anymore. Someone had interfered with his kidnapping. Regardless of who it was; it still meant that Danzo was the one responsible for that strange energy that teleported Naruto away from that alleyway.

This means that he would probably still have the method in his possession. Hiruzen determined that if this message was proven to be real; he would have his operatives try to discover how Danzo made this teleportation possible. If he found out how Danzo did it, then maybe Hiruzen could find Naruto as well.

Naruto may say that she is safe, but Hiruzen had to make sure that she was absolutely safe. He couldn't take any more risks with Naruto; he had lost too much already!

 **-In the Root Headquarters-**

The light was flickering from the candle at Danzo's desk, as he was going over various reports from his blindingly loyal subordinates. For the past two weeks, he had his subordinates try everything to pin down the location of the Prison. He had hoped that by some miracle, there would be some memories amongst those that he had sent during the experiments that would be intact enough to explore. Sadly, nothing was gleamed. He was aware that it was a naïve thought in the first place, but Danzo was willing to do anything he could to learn about the Prison and its inhabitants.

 _'_ _There is no point in continuing with this. I will better just call it off'_ , he thought to himself as he called one of his men over and instructed them to cease the memory searches. The Root-nin bowed, before he disappeared.

Danzo was rubbing his forehead, feeling a migraine coming about from this whole experience. He had planned it as perfectly as possible. He was aware that he would be under scrutiny, despite how much he tried to cover his tracks. Danzo may be ambitious, but he was far from being an idiot. He knew that regardless of what happened; Kakashi's dogs would be able to sniff anything that had happened. And while he would not find a trail that will lead them to the Prison; Kakashi could always retrace the steps his Root Shinobi had taken to maybe get back to where they originally came from, which would have in theory lead Kakashi back to the Root Headquarters. This was covered through two very simple countermeasures.

The first was that the Root-nin Danzo had tasked with the brat's capture were outside the village, and Danzo had simply sent a message providing them their orders when it was time. This would also give the added bonus of having his men masquerade themselves as Shinobi from another village. However, he was also aware that Kakashi's dogs, especially Pakkun, could easily pick up the scent of them being from Konoha, and especially the Aburame's scent. Pakkun also had the ability to trace virtually any smell, regardless of how old it was. This was where the second countermeasure came in: covering their tracks.

Danzo would not deny that Pakkun was perhaps the best tracker dog that has ever been seen in the Elemental Nations. Heck, he would not deny the power of the Inuzuka dogs either. Their sensitive noses were certainly exceptional. However, their greatest strength could also be turned against them and make it their greatest weakness. Even if Pakkun could detect through the tracks being covered up; there was also a very potent chemical that upon being inhaled, would make the target vomit. Danzo had instructed his Root-nin to put it after their trail, to make sure it would interfere with any dogs that would be searching. It wasn't lethal for any of the dogs who would try to sniff it, but they would not be able to gather anything as long as that chemical was there. And by the point it is gone; so is the trace.

True, such intimate knowledge would be suspicious; though any accusation against Danzo would be based on pure conjecture, and Hiruzen couldn't afford to just throw accusations around and come off as a senile old man. Danzo was perfectly aware that Hiruzen would be aware that it was he who had taken Naruto, and most likely put Danzo under surveillance. However, it was better to just have suspicions aimed at him than hard evidence.

Everything had gone perfectly as planned. The only thing he couldn't count on was the creatures in the Prison. He was aware that most of the soldiers, and probably even the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki would end up in that vegetative state. However, he was expecting to get the brat back at the very least, regardless of the state he was in. Instead, now that brat was missing, and Danzo had lost the grasp of his Jinchuuriki.

Danzo had to get the boy back, hence why he was trying to find out everything he could about the creatures. He had to plan a proper strategy that would get the boy back, but sadly he could get no information about these creatures. He didn't know what they looked like, how they attacked, or anything about them that could help him; only that they were capable of inducing absolute fear. Even his soldiers that had gone through their emotional conditioning felt that absolute fear at the mere mention of the Prison and the creatures existing there. The autopsy report of Tatsume Aburame showed that not even his bugs were immune. They had actually shrivelled into the hive and did not even attack, out of pure fear. This whole event frustrated Danzo, and reminded him too much of the catastrophic damage caused by the Kyuubi Incident-

Then he stopped himself in the middle of his thoughts. Maybe he was going at this from the wrong perspective. He had been approaching this like any other enemy, or wild creature. Perhaps he had to think of these creatures in the same way one think about the Bijuu. This would also possibly explain why the creatures had taken the Jinchuuriki in the first place: they had detected the Kyuubi. Regardless of the reason, if these creatures are demonic or similar in nature, then maybe they also share similar weaknesses.

Reportedly, the Bijuu had two main weaknesses: Wood Release and the Sharingan, and Danzo had one of these in his possession.

 _'_ _If only I still had Kinoe, then I would be able to send both'_ , he thought bitterly to himself. However, while it would be beneficial to capitalise on this and send his Uchiha operative; the paranoid part of Danzo made him reconsider. It was mostly speculation that they would share weaknesses with the Bijuu. However, you would have to risk some things in order to win, so after some contemplation, he decided that he would send his Uchiha Operative to get the Jinchuuriki.

There was only one problem that prevented Danzo from doing so at the moment: he was still under heavy surveillance. He had to lay low, and as such he couldn't risk any spy finding out about the pendants. However, this was of little concern to him. While it irked him that his hands were essentially tied, Danzo would wait. He would wait, and when the opportunity came; he would be one step closer to making his Konoha come true.

 **-Back in Azkaban-**

Naruto was sitting by her desk in her chambers. She had spent the last several hours reading through a few books and practicing on her spellcasting. At the moment, she was rather happy with the progress on her levitation spell, as she had managed to levitate one of the ruined beds for over an hour, before she had to put it down. Her next step was to perfectly levitate several objects at once, which was definitely more difficult, but it was exciting to learn these new things. Especially for a girl that had been denied knowledge by so many.

The Jinchuuriki looked outside her window, and saw that the sky was now dark, and the night was covering at least this part of the world. Hedwig had been gone for several hours, and she didn't know when her avian companion would return. Naruto was feeling confident that Hedwig was on her way, but yet the Jinchuuriki, who was used to the cruelties that Konoha often dished out to her, couldn't help but be worried about the wellbeing of her latest friend and partner.

Thankfully, at that moment, the flapping of wings was heard from outside her window, and soon the familiar amber eyes were looking excitedly at Naruto.

"Hello Hedwig – I am happy to see that you are back", Naruto went up and gently rubbed Hedwig's neck, who enjoyed the attention she got from her master.

"Did everything go as planned", Naruto asked. At this, the owl chirped with pride, as well as some minor annoyance in her confirmation of her mission.

"Oh don't worry, I trust you and your capabilities completely, Hedwig; it is Konoha that I am not trusting", Naruto replied seriously, as she took off the leather pouch from Hedwig's neck. "Regardless, you did a great job. Thank you so much girl. I am not going to ask anything more from you tonight. So, if you want; you can fly out and get something to eat. Please, just make sure to come back afterwards", Naruto stated to Hedwig, who chirped in glee and affirmation, before she spread her wings and flew out the open window.

Naruto grabbed the leather pouch and sat down by her desk, where a candle was lit and flickering. She opened the pouch and pulled out the first envelope. While nothing was written on it; Naruto could instantly tell from the smell of broth and ramen that this was sent from the Ichirakus. She smiled with nostalgia coursing through her veins, as it felt like it was an eternity since she ate their delicious food, even though it had been only about two weeks since she last ate their delicious food.

She opened up the envelope and noticed that it contained two pieces of paper, and she also noticed from a quick overview that both of them had different handwritings.

 _'_ _So Teuchi and Ayame wrote their own respective letter? That is so sweet of them'_ , she thought to herself with a gentle smile on her face. She picked the first one and started reading:

 _Dear Naruto,_

 _This is your one and only Teuchi-ojii writing. You cannot imagine how happy we are to hear that you are alright. While things are rather quiet about your disappearance, there are rumours about your kidnapping circulating the village._

 _While I am sad to hear that they are true; it makes me happy to know that you were saved by these new friends of yours. Even if you are gone for a long time, it will be in the presence of those who will protect you._

 _And of course we want to keep on corresponding with you. You have nothing to worry about. We are both just happy that you have finally decided to open up to us, and let us in to what has been burdening you. We will help you in any way we can._

 _Don't worry; I will keep this correspondence a secret from everyone. I will also give Hedwig instructions of where she can safely drop off your letters in the future. I can tell by looking at her that she is a smart bird, like you said._

 _Take care of yourself. I want my number one customer to come back super strong and with plenty of stories to share!_

 _With warmest regards,_

 _Teuchi Ichiraku_

Naruto smiled, as a few tears dripped from her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, before she turned her attention from the letter that was written by Ayame:

 _Hey Naruto-nee!_

 _I am so glad to hear you are okay. You really had me and Tou-san worried about you. Don't give me a heart attack so early in life!_

 _Also, I am super surprised, but also excited to hear that you are a girl. I have always wanted a little sister, and now I have one. If you have any questions about being a girl, or about boys (or girls, I'm not judging), just tell me about it, and your Onee-chan will help you as best as she can!_

 _I am happy that you finally let me and Tou-san in. I have waited for you to open up, and I understand why it was so hard for you, considering what many of those jerks have done to you._

 _Keep writing to us Naruto-chan. I want to hear more from you, and I promise to keep all of this a secret from anyone else but us._

 _XOXO_

 _Ayame_

A genuine grin spread across Naruto's cheeks as she read Ayame's letter. She was immensely happy that she still had the Ichirakus in her life, as they were among the most important people in her life. With a smile, Naruto folded the two letters, before putting them down on the desk.

She then turned her attention back to the pouch, before she rummaged through it and pulled out the final envelope. Naruto got worried, as she noticed that it was the same envelope that she had used to send her letter to Hinata. Didn't Hinata wish to correspond with her? Her worries disappeared once she opened the envelope, and noticed that the piece of paper within wasn't written by Naruto herself, but rather by Hinata. It even had a faint scent of lavender on it. With a smile, Naruto proceeded to read the letter:

 _Dear Naruto-chan,_

 _I am relieved to hear that you are safe. There have been rumours about your abduction, and I am glad to hear that you are safe now. While it saddens me that you will be away for so long, I am happy that we can still communicate with each other._

 _Don't worry about your secrets. They are safe with me, Naruto-chan. I promise, and like you; I will keep them no matter what._

 _It surprises me and fills me with joy that you hold so much faith in me. I am honoured you would find such potential in me, Naruto-chan. I will do everything I can to live up to your beliefs in me, and I hope that I can help you if you ever need anything. I want to be strong for both of us!_

 _I look forward to future correspondence, and I am proud to call you my friend!_

 _Stay safe,_

 _Hinata Hyuuga_

Naruto smiled gently at the short but concise letter from her noble friend. Hinata was shy, even when writing her feelings on paper. While it was a bit adorable, Naruto was determined to help Hinata become more comfortable with herself. That girl had a passion burning deep down, and Naruto wanted her to embrace that fire.

However, Naruto also took a great deal of notice that Hinata had written that she wanted to help Naruto if she could. All three letters said so, and it filled Naruto with unbelievable warmth that despite everything; she still had people she could count on. Naruto decided that she would give a response first thing in the morning before her lessons, as she blew out her candle, before she took off her clothes, and went to bed to get some rest.

Naruto had finally fulfilled her promise to herself, and opened up about the truth in regards to her gender, to the Ichirakus, as well as to Hinata. Now, she could fully focus on her other promises, and fully embrace the talents she had.

 **-To be Continued-**

 _ **That makes the fourth chapter. I tried to establish some mediums for character interaction between Naruto and various people that are important in her life. And don't worry, Naruto will get in touch with the other she did not send any letters as well to. Though, it may not be completely positive so to speak.**_

 _ **I hope you all found the chapter to your liking. Please read and review so I can take from your criticism. Thank you so much for all your support thus far.**_

 _ **See you in the next chapter,**_

 _ **Prof. Majora**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hello there, Prof. Majora is back. Sorry for the delay. There have been plenty of things going on in my personal life that I had to deal with. Thank you so much for all of the support you guys have given my story thus far.**_

 _ **This story is still alive, and I have other stories in mind. If you are a fan, I am going to soon publish another story that combines the Naruto universe with elements from Gravity Falls. If you are interested in that, make sure to keep an eye out!**_

 _ **Also, I think I should take a few seconds to explain two things I have noticed amongst many reviewers, and share some of my thoughts.**_

 _ **First off: Naruto's name. Some of you have suggested that I should change Naruto's name as it is a boy's name. I have considered this, and trust me when I say that I have also been considering it. I think that Naruto can still work as a girl name, but I also see the benefit as to why one should change it. Regardless, for those who are wondering why I haven't changed the name yet - there actually a reason for this. That reason will be explained IN THE STORY in one of the upcoming chapters. So I ask you to please be patient.**_

 _ **Secondly: the members of the harem. As some of you may recall; this story will have a harem in it. The members of said harem will have various members, a few of which have been decided. I will keep the size of the harem between eight and nine girls at most. However, while I have decided some of the members, I am having difficulty choosing some of them. Specifically amongst the girls from the Naruto universe. I have one idea as of now, but I am not sure if I will do it 100 %, but I would love some input and suggestsion regarding who Naruto should be paired with from the Shinobi world. I will have about three Shinobi girls in the harem. We will see what happens.**_

 _ **That was all I had to say. Either way, here is the next chapter for Dementor Representative. I hope you enjoy!**_

 **The Dementor Representative**

Chapter 5

Steps echoed through the castle ruins as Naruto was walking down the hallways to meet up with Morgana in the courtyard. It had been just over six months since Naruto first arrived, and ever since then, Naruto had exceeded and surpassed any and all expectations that the Dementors had originally put on the girl. It was clear that when Naruto was determined to reach new heights; she would not rest until she figured out how to reach and then surpass them.

After some evaluations, it had been clear to them what her strengths and weakness lied. Though to say it was easy for the Dementors was an understatement. Not only because Naruto was such an excited student that they themselves had difficulties keeping up, but also because the Dementors had never really taught anyone before in their lives. This was very much new territory for all of them, yet they had managed to adapt to the situation as well as they possibly could, and judging by Naruto's advancements in her studies; they said they were not doing anything wrong.

The first month had just been focused on repairing and building up her severely malnourished body. Thankfully, through plenty of food, exercise and the aid of being a Kyuubi; Naruto's body had become a lot healthier within the first month. It was still not ideal, especially considering she was a growing girl, but it was better than before.

It was at this point that they decided to take Naruto's training up to the next level. They had not wanted to put too much stress on the young girl too early on, considering that she had suffered through so much abuse and malnourishment in her short life. However, when they were certain that Naruto could handle the next level; the Dementor's increased their training. And this was aptly demonstrated with the technique that they taught the young girl: the **Shadow Clone Technique**.

Thanks to the plenty of Jounin that the Dementors had absorbed from Danzo's Root Program; they knew many of Konoha's Secret Techniques. The **Shadow Clone Technique** was no different from this, and was therefore ripe for learning and utilising. Furthermore, the Dementors also knew the benefits of this technique in terms of gathering information, and felt that it could help the girl study several techniques and spells at once.

However, when the Dementors taught Naruto how to use Shadow Clones, they hadn't been expecting two things:

The first was that they hadn't expected that the Shadow Clone's ability to remember whatever they learned could be used beyond just to gather information from what they saw or heard, but also be applied to training with all forms of magic, whether it was chakra or witchcraft. This meant that a technique could be learned and even mastered that much faster with their help, and was something that Naruto had discovered through a quick experiment as soon as she learned how to create Shadow Clones.

The second aspect that the Dementors had not been counting on was Naruto being capable of creating well over one hundred clones on her first try, which resulted in her filling up most of the room they had been practicing the technique within.

These two factors combined changed everything for the girl's training, and now her training had not just reached the next level; it had reached several levels beyond that. Naruto would use several hundreds of shadow clones every day, organise them into groups, and then have them perform various chakra control exercises and practice whatever spells Naruto knew. The only negative side effect that Naruto faced with this training was the mental backlash, as every clone's energy and fatigue went back to Naruto upon being dispelled. Interestingly, Naruto managed to build up a resistance over time. It was almost like the **Shadow Clone Technique** was made for Naruto in mind.

In the end, it certainly helped Naruto's studies excel to newfound levels, and the Dementors were very impressed. Furthermore, the Dementors had proven to be rather competent teachers, and even if they could only gesture their moves for every spell or mimic any hand seals that were required for the jutsus, without using any magic; it was enough for Naruto to understand what they wanted across.

Within Witchcraft, they had been teaching her various subjects, but to Naruto's surprise; they had not just been teaching her various forms of spells and how to use them. They had also taking time to teach Naruto several other subjects, some of which didn't have anything to do with spellcasting, but was still relevant to the realm of Witchcraft.

One of these involved the ability to brew potions, and it did not involve any spellcasting, or at the very least an incredibly small amount of it. In many ways, this was a more scientific magic than anything, and involved using various ingredients in order to brew a potion with various effects. However, what ended up being truly interesting were the various effects a simple brew could conceive. Everything from killing, diseases, healing and any effect imaginable was possible to brew as long as one used the right combination. Additionally, as an added bonus, it also had a particularly calming effect on the girl, as she found brewing potions to be a soothing and calm experience. Though, maybe it was the fumes that caused this effect, but she never bothered to properly find out if that was the case.

Of course, Naruto was curious as to how they had the ingredients at all. At this inquiry; Leoni, one of the best in Azkaban in the arts of Potion, explained that several of the ingredients could actually be found in the forest. Alongside that, there were wards around the containers of these ingredients that not only allowed them to constantly resupply, but also allowed them withstand the testament of time itself.

Not to mention that it also protected them from the despairing presence a Dementor brought with them. It even allowed them to surprisingly allow the Dementors to grow them and farm these ingredients if necessary. As Leoni had stated:

" _Just because I am Dementor, it doesn't mean that I do not have green fingers._ "

As it turned out, Leoni was very proud in the gardens she had managed to keep, despite her Dementor presence bringing a sense of despair. Though, she would never admit that while she helped plant them; they could only really grow when she wasn't around. Naruto noticed that it was a bit of a sensitive topic for Leoni, so Naruto made sure to not really bring it up.

Another subject that Naruto had been learning was Ancient Runes. While Runology was mostly a theoretical subject about learning ancient symbols, it had plenty of magical applications. By learning how these symbols worked, one could create incredible wards, protections and rituals by simply inscribing the proper runes into an object or the ground. These were the very same wards that powered and kept several objects within the castle in a sense of stasis, which had allowed it to survive for several thousands of years. Interestingly enough, while many thought that this subject was difficult; Naruto breezed through it without any major difficulties. She had an incredibly easy time understanding the various runes, and Ancient Runes would soon become an interesting form of experimentation for the young girl, were she would see what different effects she could get with the various runes.

The Kyuubi was not particularly surprised by Naruto's excellence on this supposedly difficult subject. As it had explained, Ancient Runes were reminiscent of Fuinjutsu, and if Naruto did have Uzumaki blood in her veins; then she most likely had their talents for sealing as well. However, the Kyuubi did consider this to be something of a blessing, considering the short amount of Fuinjutsu that was available. The only real sources of Fuinjutsu available was the narrow knowledge that Dementors had gathered from a handful of Shinobis, and very few were even close to the levels of understanding advanced Fuinjutsu, let alone to the levels of the Fourth Hokage. Thankfully, the Kyuubi had some more extensive knowledge regarding Fuinjutsu, and could help for a while. The Dementors would find more avenues to learn Fuinjutsu whenever they could, but for now; Ancient Runes would be a good way for Naruto to practice her sealing skills on a more advanced level until she got the real thing.

Of course, alongside her excellence in Runes, Naruto was also highly proficient in anything relating to spellcasting. There was of course the ability to use Charms, something she had been expanded severely upon since she first joined six months ago. Alongside Charms, she had also learned a new form of Witchcraft that was called Transfiguration. While Charms were all about adding properties to objects or creatures; Transfiguration focuses on Alteration, the ability to change an object's already existing properties into something else. Again, she had proven herself to be a remarkable student as she breezed through the course like it was nothing. She had also been taught something called Defence against Dark Arts, in which she had been learning to put up various shields and wards using her own magical energy.

The only thing within spell-casting or within Witchcraft in general that they hadn't taught her yet was the Dark Arts, considering that there were a few negative consequences when dabbling with those. While they were certain she could handle anything they threw at her; the Dementors didn't want to take the risk of having her learning the Dark Arts to early. They would get to it soon enough, but it never harmed to be cautious.

In the end, regardless of whatever form of spellcasting she was asked to perform; Naruto had taken to it like a fish to water. She was definitely a prodigy, and she was also incredibly hard-working, as she refused to stop working until she had gained some level of expertise with a spell. Both of these qualities made for a great practitioner of Witchcraft.

Speaking of Witchcraft and spells, this actually led to one of the main inquiries that puzzled Naruto. The young Jinchuuriki had proven during her studies to be highly inquisitive and curious regarding, well, anything really. If there was anything that she wished to know; she would do everything she could to find out; regardless if it was her training or just a miscellaneous piece of information. One of the many inquiries lied within her training, and more so how she practiced the Witchcraft.

She was curious as to why they had not given Naruto her own wand as of yet. Considering the multitude of spells that seemed to work better and more efficiently when using a wand; it seemed to be strange that she hadn't gotten her own by this point.

Well, it turned out that there were at least two reasons for this. The first reason was that while wizards and witches used wands in order to create their magic more efficiently and learn it faster; they unintentionally crippled themselves. Because they got used to using wands to perform magic; it was very difficult for them to learn how to use wandless magic. As such, wandless magic was considered something only the greatest of wizards could do.

The truth was that many wizards and witches could do it; it just required a lot of work, even more so when they handicapped themselves with a conduit such as a wand. By not using that conduit, they would allow magic to flow through them a lot more efficiently, not to mention more potently. True, their magic would be rather volatile in comparison, and would never reach the greatest heights one would like to reach. That would require a wand. On the other hand, if they had trained to use wandless magic from an early age; they would actually be able to perform a lot more potent and powerful spells. In a sense, going from using only wandless magic to using a wand, was like removing a weight that you had put on your body.

Of course, that was only one reason, and it didn't change the fact that Naruto's magic would indeed be a lot more prolific and powerful with a wand. However, this is where the second reason came in: Naruto was simply too young.

She had learned the second reason from Apraxia, who aside from being very good at Transfiguration was also rather knowledgeable within wandlore. She was not the best one: that would go to Pirouette, who was one of the occasional assistants during potions, but Apraxia was still well-informed.

According to Apraxia, wands are not just instruments that wizards channel their magic through. They are actually somewhat sentient, and capable of understanding and reading their wizards, as they would choose who they wanted to wield them. The wand always chooses the wizards for a very specific reason; their magic, magical core and by proxy the character of the wielder, as it is connected to his/her magic. When the wand was wielded by a practitioner of witchcraftK; it would analyse both the magic and the character of the person wielding it. Then it would make its decision to be wielded by the wizard or not.

This was also the reason why no witch or wizard was allowed to have a wand of their own before the age of 11, unless they were practice wands. During the witch's/wizard's childhood years, their magic core will often change and adapt within their bodies. This would often result in accidental magic happening when they were children. However, because of this fluctuating magic, a wand could never get a proper read on their wielder. Practice wands could be used, because they were not actual wands; they lacked the levels of sentience a real wand needed to have.

However, if a witch or wizard ever got their wands before too early; they ran a risk of getting a wand that would be good at the moment, but would clash horribly with their settled magical core; which could result in detrimental damage for the wizard. At the age of eleven, the wizard's magic core will be a lot more stable, and then the wands could get a proper reading. It would still develop and mature, but at this age; it was considered to be stable enough for a wand to analyse the wizard's magic. This was also why no one was allowed into any school that taught witchcraft, unless they were eleven years old; even if they were going to turn eleven after the school year had started.

This was ultimately the reason why Naruto was considered to be too young to wield a wand. Even though her magical core was incredibly advanced and strong, as a result of her connection to true magic; her core was still developing. Her ideal wand couldn't come forth, as it was impossible for it to properly respond to her magic at the time.

After this, Naruto understood and accepted the situation at hand. Instead, she decided to wait patiently, and aim to reach as far as she could with her wandless magic, before going she started to use a wand. It was only a few years until her eleventh birthday after all, and it would end up being a pleasant present and surprise, as she had no idea what her ideal wand would be like.

Of course, spellcasting and Witchcraft wasn't the only thing she had been taught. Naruto had also been taught various things within Chakra Manipulation, and while the Dementors didn't know as much about this subject, as they did with Witchcraft; they were still rather well-informed regarding the nature of chakra. It was one of the benefits with being millennia old creatures after all.

They had been teaching her various things within Chakra Manipulation that they had gained from the multitude of Shinobi that they had absorbed over the centuries. One of the things they had been very keen on teaching her and helping her master were the various Chakra Control exercises that they had learned. This was quite necessary to focus on, as Naruto was the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki; her chakra levels were enormous as a result. While she may have decent control, it was something that still needed plenty of work. Thankfully, with the multitude of Shadow Clones; Naruto had managed to master the Tree Climbing Exercise, Water Surface Walking Exercise, and even gotten close to mastering the Balancing-on-Kunai Exercise, all over the course of six months.

She had also been practicing with various Genjutus. However, there were a few problems with this. First, there was the obvious fact that she didn't have the perfect control for several Genjutsu to work, but had managed to control a few of them. Though, these Genjutus were only those that required a lot of chakra, and even then they weren't perfect controlled.

The other problem was that Genjutsu was sadly an underappreciated art amongst most Shinobis. As such, the Dementors did not have much knowledge regarding Genjutsu in comparison to say Ninjutsu. Overall, while she had learned a handful basic Genjutsus and two larger ones; Naruto was only okay at best when it came to Genjutsu.

It was the same, if not worse regarding Medical Ninjutsu. If she lacked within Genjutsu, then it was NOTHING compared to the lack of knowledge within Medical Ninjutsu. The only things she had been taught so far were the things that one was taught amongst Anbu or Root Operatives, and they were often rudimentary at best. Amongst the souls that the Dementors had absorbed, only THREE held any deeper knowledge within Medical Ninjutsu. Sadly, those techniques were still too difficult for Naruto to use. Overall, Naruto would estimate that she was severely lacking in Medical Ninjutsu, and could need some major improvement.

Furthermore, while the Dementors helped her with virtually anything within Chakra Manipulation; Naruto's Taijutsu was the only thing none of the Dementors were able to truly help her with. The reason for this was because Dementors are spectral entities, and due to them being impervious to any physical damage; they never used any fighting. True, Naruto had been able to strike Lady Drexis when she was about to absorb the Kyuubi, but they reasoned that it was only due to her connection with True Magic. And even then, she had not taken any damage.

Nevertheless, while they couldn't help with Naruto's Taijutsu training; she still managed to get help from her other teacher: the Kyuubi. Surprisingly, while the Kyuubi had agreed to teach her how to manipulate her demonic energy, also known as Youki; it had also agreed later on to assist Naruto with developing her own Taijutsu style. It was not the easiest task to say the least. Fortunately, later on, when they noticed that Naruto was very agile and swift; the Kyuubi decided to capitalise on this.

Over the past six months, Naruto would be practicing within the mindscape and learning various moves and fighting techniques from the Kyuubi, before practicing them outside against Shadow Clones, often while using various forms of handicap to increase and optimise Naruto's style. According to the Kyuubi; this fighting style was based on trickery and deceit, in a sense it could be comparable to how foxes played and even fought. The idea was to be fast and agile, being able to swiftly attack, dodge, and counterattack. It wasn't really a strictly offensive or defensive fighting style; it was more based on dodging, before striking swiftly and either killing the enemy in one strike, or tiring the enemy out.

This in turn leads to Naruto's biggest weakness: her physical strength. While she was very fast, agile and had incredible reflexes that were honed from years of evading and running away from bigoted villagers; Naruto was lacking in terms of strength. As such, the Kyuubi and Dementors had instructed Naruto to wear weights that she would constantly increase, and made sure to put a lot of exercise on her, while wearing these weights – all with the intention of increasing her physical prowess. However, while she may be lacking strength, it became clear that her chakra levels along with her sheer brutal stamina would be enough to get her through plenty of battles, once she had the proper experience within battles.

On that note, Naruto had also learned more about the Kyuubi over the past six months. While it was rather reclusive, she had succeeded in getting it to sit down and hold a proper conversation with it. For one, she had finally been able to learn that the Kyuubi considered himself to be a male, even though the Bijuu were technically genderless. He was confused as to why Naruto wanted to know that specific detail, but Naruto had explained that she felt it was very impersonal to refer her partner as just 'it' or 'that'. As such, she had requested the knowledge of what the proper reflexive pronoun should be in this situation. Kyuubi had decided to not question it and indulged the girl with how he considered himself to be a man if nothing else.

She had also tried to ask Kyuubi if he knew anything regarding the whole business with Asura and with her being his reincarnation. The Kyuubi had confirmed that he knew about Asura, which was one of the reasons he had given her the benefit of doubt. However, he had otherwise been rather tight-lipped about that particular topic. As a matter of fact, he was incredibly reluctant to share anything surrounding his past. Fortunately, aside from that detail, Naruto found that the Kyuubi made for something of a decent conversationalist.

The more time they spent together, the more the Kyuubi seemed to accept that Naruto really was intending to hold on to her end of their bargain. However, he was not going to take a leap of faith just yet. He would be cautious to see where this went, but at least keep giving her the benefit of doubt.

Aside from Taijutsu, Naruto had also been training within Shurikenjutsu, thanks to the equipment that all the Shinobis had been leaving behind, considering that they were either imprisoned or dead. She had been excelling in using various forms of Shurikenjutsu, and while she had to get stronger; it was a good start in how she used her technique. She had also been considering going into the field of Kenjutsu, as the Demenotrs had quite a few tantos lying around from the Shinobi that were most likely deceased at this point.

In the end though, while Naruto had excelled at many things and had difficulties in others; nothing could compare to her sheer excellence in Ninjutsu. Because she had such much chakra, as is common with being a Jinchuuriki; Naruto could use any technique, no matter how much chakra was required. She was even capable of performing those techniques that most Shinobi would lack energy to even perform once. If one also considered the surprising amount of control she possessed; it essentially meant that Naruto would be capable of performing any Ninjutsu imaginable, several times in a row. And any technique that would drain her in one try would most likely be incredibly devastating.

Over the months, Naruto had worked hard and diligently to make her teachers proud in everything they shared with the young girl. However, this brought up a point of inquiry for the girl, why was she only being taught how to use Witchcraft and Chakra Manipulation? The answer she got was still fresh in her memories, even if it had been back in the second month of training…

 **-Flashback-**

"Drexis-sensei, why are you only teaching me Witchcraft and Chakra Manipulation", Naruto asked after she had caught her breath from the intense workout session she just went through.

" _What do you mean, Naruto my dear_ ", Lady Drexis asked softly.

"Well, I am just curious. As I have a connection to True Magic, which in turn is connected to every other branch of magic; why am I not learning all various branches of magic?" As soon as Naruto had finished her question, Drexis's entire demeanour changed. In one moment, she was no longer the grandmotherly self that loved to teach. Instead, she turned into a cold and stern being, fitting of the dark race she belonged to.

" _Are you saying that you are not satisfied with what we teach you? Why would possibly wish to learn more than you already are? Is it not enough what we teach you? Is your THIRST FOR POWER THAT LARGE?!_ " Lady Drexis cold voice pierced Naruto's soul, and she immediately bowed to the Elder Dementor.

"I am sorry, Drexis-sensei; I didn't mean to be ungrateful. I am happy with what you are teaching me, and I just wanted to know why you are teaching me it specifically", Naruto responded while bowing. She didn't mean to offend the same woman she considered to be a grandmother of sorts. A few moments later, the cold air disappeared from the Dementor's being, and was replaced with a more melancholic one.

" _No, I am the one who should ask for forgiveness, young one. I jumped to conclusions and acted hastily. Instead, I should have put more trust in you. I am sorry_ ", Drexis apologised. Naruto looked up, and gave a soft smile to her elder.

"It's alright. It was a simple misunderstanding, and I should probably have phrased my question better", Naruto responded with a calm voice, making the Dementor's aura light up in relief.

" _That is good to hear, my child._ "

"How come you reacted so strongly", Naruto asked, curious as to why the Dementor acted the way she did.

" _Well, let's just say that over the millennia, I have seen multitude of beings that have desired to find the ultimate power for themselves, and I will admit that I was afraid that you would end up in that category as well. Another power-hungry fool that only lusts to gain all abilities ever created_ ", Drexis responded.

" _Once more, I am sorry for thinking that. Over the past few weeks, it has been clear that you have only desired to learn in order to sate your curiosity, and to be able to protect that you hold dear. Not to sate an infinite lust for power._ "

"Fair enough and again; I don't hold your reaction against you. You all took a risk with accepting me as an apprentice in the first place. You have nothing to worry about", Naruto reassured the millennia old spectre.

" _Thank you, young Naruto. You are quite the wise little rascal_ ", Drexis smirked underneath her cowl, or at least that is what Naruto guessed she did. Naruto returned that smirk and chuckled, before she regained her inquisitive gaze.

"Though, I am still curious, why are you teaching me just these subjects and not others? If the purpose is to gain a closer understanding of True Magic, wouldn't it be better to try to learn all forms of magic", Naruto rephrased her original question, and Drexis nodded.

" _That is a better way to phrase it indeed. And yes, you could learn every branch of magic there is through True Magic, but why would you want to? Just because you know every branch, doesn't mean that your connection to True Magic is going to get that much stronger_ ", the Dementor replied.

"It won't", Naruto asked as she tilted her head to the side in confusion.

" _No, it will not get that much stronger. To some degree, you could gain a stronger connection, but that is a very time-consuming alternative. After all, it is better to learn quality over quantity, don't you agree_ " Lady Drexis replied with several gestures.

"Yeah, I see your point."

" _As for why we are only focusing on Witchcraft, well; there are mainly two reasons_ ", Lady Drexis continued articulating her response, as she had Naruto's full attention. " _First, there is the fact it is more convenient. We are far more familiar with Witchcraft and Chakra Manipulation than other branches. Besides, there is the fact that you are also more familiar with Chakra Manipulation, as you have origins from a Shinobi Village._

 _However, that is not the main reason. The main reason, we are teaching you Witchcraft is because it is one of the best ways to help improve your connection to True Magic._ "

"What do you mean", Naruto asked as she put her finger on her chin in contemplation.

" _Well, let me answer your question, with another question_ ", Drexis started. " _What is the difference between Witchcraft and Chakra Manipulation?_ "

Naruto contemplated the question for a while. She had not really noticed, as both of them seemed to be similar to each other, and yet the more she analysed the various spells and jutsu she had been taught; the more she realised that there was a difference. It was not easily noticeable, but it was there.

"Well, I have noticed that Ninjutsu comes easier for me, especially those that don't need perfect control. Witchcraft, on the other hand, seems to have a lot more finesse", Naruto answered after a few moments. Lady Drexis nodded with a proud aura emanating from her being.

" _Exactly, Naruto: that is the right answer. In a sense, the difference between Chakra Manipulation and Witchcraft can be compared to the difference between an ocean and a dam_ ", the Dementor responded.

" _Chakra is more like roaring water. It is far more destructive and widespread than Witchcraft. In a battle of raw destructive power, chakra would trump every time._

 _However, just because Witchcraft is nowhere near as destructive, doesn't mean it is any less potent. It is more refined and focused, like a controlled dam or river. And because it is so focused and controlled, it not only needs more finesse to control it, but it is also one of the few branches of magic that has is much closer to True Magic than any other_."

"Witchcraft is one of the closest branches to True Magic", Naruto asked, her eyes wide with surprise. Drexis simply nodded.

" _Indeed. Back when witches and wizards were around, it was not unusual for them to swear on their life and magic if they were accused and wanted to prove something. The reason witches and wizards could swear on their life and magic in the first place IS because Witchcraft is so refined and concentrated that it could actually link them to True Magic._

 _Of course, no one actually managed to use True Magic, but out of all branches of magic that have existed; Witchcraft was the closest one_ ", Lady Drexis responded.

" _This is also the reason we are teaching you witchcraft and variations of it. Not only because we know a lot about it, but also because it is the branch of magic, which will get you closer to the original source: more so than any other._ "

"By understanding Witchcraft and all of its various forms; I get closer to True Magic", Naruto muttered in understanding.

" _Exactly Naruto: now you understand. Anyway, let's continue with our lesson; we cannot dawdle here all day long_ ", Drexis replied.

"Yeah, you're right. It would be bad if you started staring out into nothing and losing focus on everything around you", Naruto responded cheekily.

" _I have you know that I am merely pondering the multitude of philosophies regarding life and existence. They require oneself to empty the mind and let the existence of the universe enter_ ", Drexis responded with a scoff.

"I think you are mixing up philosophical thinking with dementia", Naruto replied with a smirk, earning a small growl from the Elder Dementor.

" _Shut up, you little brat. Let's continue today's lesson._ "

 **-Flashback end-**

Naruto smirked at the memory, though she briefly lost that smirk. During this whole time, she had managed to progress rather well. The problem was that she didn't really have anything to compare to but herself, so she wasn't sure how powerful she was. Was she at Chuunin, Jounin or even Anbu level? Or was she stuck at a low-Genin level?

She shook her head as the Jinchuuriki tried to leave her doubtful thoughts behind. Naruto would gain experience later on, and she would learn more. She had not even been there for a year, and she had plenty more to learn. The girl was confident that she would be able to reach new heights for herself if she just let herself be patient.

Up ahead, Naruto smiled as she saw the similar form of Morgana floating. Even from afar, Naruto could tell that Morgana was very pleased as always, as she had a rather smug and joyous aura around her being. Over the months, she had just been capable of detecting the general traits of Dementors and their moods by simply looking at them. They still weren't entirely sure how she could do it, but for now they chalked it down to the idea that her peculiar connection to True Magic.

Naruto was not entirely sure how potent this connection was, but from the little she had managed to pull off; it made her incredibly curious of what else she could possibly do. She got herself ready for her lessons, as she stepped up to her Dementor Companion.

"Hello there, Morgana. What is making you shine up like the sun", the girl greeted Morgana, who turned in her direction at her words.

" _Hello there to you too, Naruto-kun. Well, I am just feeling rather content today. I just won another bet against Opaque_ ", Morgana stated with a massive grin that would have been clearly visible if it wasn't for her Dementor physiology.

"Again", Naruto sighed. "When will Opaque learn that she shouldn't agree to bets with you? It is extraordinary how lucky you can be."

" _Oh, look who is talking. How are your pockets after winning all those magical seeds and ingredients you manage to win through a bet from everyone, including myself? You think I have great luck? You have the bloody Devil on your shoulders_ ", Morgana complained, remembering when the girl in front of her had somehow managed to win a bet.

The bet involved the one who could get over the castle wall the fastest and somehow a storm came in at that time, making it difficult for the Dementors to fly, and thus allowing Naruto to win with the help of a giant slingshot that she transfigured from a large pile of rocks and some Shadow Clones, while not becoming victim of the fierce gales.

"Yeah, yeah – you are just miffed that I won that bet, as well as that Poker game last week. It was no big deal", Naruto yawned while waving her hand in front her face dismissively, in a gesture of false modesty.

" _You are right; it is not a big deal, when you have an ancient Kitsune Demon that can sense negative emotions_ ", Morgan stated with a deadpan, yet also annoyed voice.

"Oh, don't be sad. Just because you lost your funds in that game, doesn't mean that you won't be able to get that manicure one beautiful day", Naruto joked and teased the spectral dark creature. Over the past few months, it had become clear that Morgana's biggest peeve was when someone mentioned her scaly hands.

" _You know what? I am still too happy from my earlier win against Opaque, and I am not going to let your bloody taunts get to me. Now, let's just continue with today's lesson in Defence against Dark Arts_ ", Morgana responded with an invisible twitch.

One thing that Naruto had learned over the past six months was that while the Dementors were essentially wraiths that could suck out human souls, and nourished themselves on human happiness; they were otherwise rather, for a lack of better word, human. They acted like any other person would, and were sentient creatures with their own feelings, thoughts and interests. Just to list a few, there was Leoni's interest in gardening and taking care of plants, which made her a very good teacher for Potions, and would later teach Naruto how to plant and grow these ingredients.

Then there was Lady Drexis who loved to star gaze and study history, but she also loved to steal gossip magazines from the neighbouring villages. It was not uncommon to see Lady Drexis float around with a tabloid magazine, while being in her own little world.

Apraxia had a fascination with human psychology, which was probably why she would ask Naruto to play cards with her whenever she got an opportunity. To her, playing various card games was essentially a mixture of luck and behavioural science. Naruto would admit that it was interesting to learn quite a lot from Apraxia's monologues, even though she felt that Apraxia could get almost as lost as Lady Drexis in her obsession.

Opaque was one of the more reclusive and shyer Dementors of Azkaban, and would often like to just fly around. She found a strange elation in just flying and being free. Though at the same time, she also had a strong gambling habit, which was something that Apraxia and a few others loved to exploit.

These were just to name a few on the top of her head, and as she was walking, Naruto looked towards Morgana. Out of everyone that she had gotten close to during these past months; none could compare to the kinship Naruto had obtained with Morgana, which often involved them teasing each other. Yet strangely enough, while Naruto considered herself to be closer to Morgana than any other; she couldn't pinpoint a particular major interest. Morgan seemed to be a Dementor that just liked to do, well, anything. She would often join any activity around Azkaban, and would often help Naruto with her spellcasting. Otherwise, she had strangely nothing that was exclusively her hobby or obsession.

Naruto was shaken out of her thoughts by some noises that were being heard from the one of the entrances to the courtyard just below the walkway she and Morgana were walking on. Looking down, Naruto noticed that some Dementors were carrying a rather shady-looking human. This had become a recurrent sight for the girl: seeing the Dementors carrying someone who looked near-death, before absorbing their soul. They were almost always one of the many prisoners that they had kept in the castle, and who had often gone insane.

From what Naruto had noticed; the presence of Dementors, accompanied with them consuming their happiness, often lead to the prisoners being driven insane. Though, she supposed that she would eventually be driven to madness if she was in their situation as well. After they had been staying there for some time, the prisoners would often just give up on life, or try to kill themselves. At that point, the Dementors would always bring them out to the courtyard and either execute them with their razor-sharp claws, or devour their souls. More often than not, it was the latter.

Naruto looked down into the courtyard, and looked at the man that they were dragging. He looked like a Shinobi, and from her lessons about the Elemental Nations; he looked like someone from Iwagakure, based on the faded red armour. Another thing that Naruto had learned was that there were several pendants over the Elemental Nations and other places of the world that teleported the wearers to Azkaban. Though, the Dementors had not told her why there were so many pendants, and they had simply stated they would tell her later on. Thus, Naruto wasn't surprised whenever she saw a Shinobi being dragged across the courtyard.

However, what did confuse her was the fact that this particular man, who had an otherwise dead gleam in his eyes, and torn clothes, and general air of depression; would have a small sense of happiness emanating from him. She turned to her Dementor companion.

"Why is that Shinobi about to be dealt with feeling happiness", she asked Morgana in genuine confusion. The Dementor in question turned to Naruto, before she looked down at the courtyard below to see what Naruto was talking about.

" _Oh, I do believe that he is clinging on the last memory he has of his family. We have had him for a short while, but decided to take pity on his situation, and grant him a swift death_ ", Morgana explained. " _That man is a sad case. According to Lady Drexis, he went completely insane after his wife and daughter were murdered. As such, he started mass murdering everyone around him, regardless if it was friend or foe. All because he was feeling bitter at the world that, in his eyes at least, stole his family. I guess in his last moments, he is thinking of this lost family, longing to be reunited with them._ "

"Well, that makes sense, cause it was strange that he radiated happiness when he was being escorted to his death", Naruto stated, causing the Dementor to nod.

" _Yeah, I know what you mean- Wait, what did you say?_ " Morgana stopped in her tracks and stared at Naruto, surprise covering her aura.

"What is it", Naruto asked in confusion when her friend stopped in her tracks, making Naruto stop as well.

" _Did you just say that you felt his happiness_ ", Morgan asked in complete shock.

"Well, yeah. But it is nothing new that I have been capable of feeling emotions ever since I have worked with the Kyuubi, so I didn't think much of it", Naruto stated.

" _Yeah, NEGATIVE emotions. You shouldn't be able to feel his happiness with the Kyuubi's powers_ ", Morgan replied, causing Naruto to freeze up in realisation. " _How long have you been able to sense human happiness?_ "

"For about two weeks, but I guess I just forgot about it, due to that Potions experiment I have been working on", Naruto explained to her Dementor friend, who just nodded in shock and awe. It was clear that said Dementor was deep in thought about the situation.

' _Could this possibly mean… it shouldn't be possible, but it is the only logical explanation'_ , Morgana thought to herself, before she turned back towards the courtyard.

" _OPAQUE_ ", she shouted towards the crowd of Dementors, and managed to gain said Dementor's attention. " _I need you to find Lady Drexis, and tell her to meet with us immediately!_ " After Morgana's serious words, Opaque nodded and hastily flew off to find the Dementor Elder.

"What is going on, Morgana? Why do we need Lady Drexis here", Naruto asked her friend, who turned around to focus on Naruto once more.

" _Listen very carefully Naruto. Many things that have happened around you, such as Hedwig, the House Elves, your skills in Witchcraft etc., can be brought down to your connection to True Magic_ ", Morgana started explaining. " _However, the ability of sensing other people's emotions is something that concerns me._ "

"What do you mean? Is it not possible for True Magic to be able to sense emotions", Naruto asked.

" _Oh no, you could still learn it. The thing is, no one has taught you_ ", Morgana replied sternly. " _That is one of the three reasons this concerns me. The second is that, as stated, you shouldn't be able to use it because of the Kyuubi, as he is only capable of sensing Negative Emotions._ "

"And the third reason is…?"

" _The third reason is that there are a few creatures that can sense positive emotions, and one of them is Dementors_ ", Morgana responded with a sense of finality.

"Wait, that shouldn't be possible – I am not a Dementor", Naruto stated, her eyes wide in surprise at what Morgana was insinuating.

" _How can we know for sure? You have not reacted to our natural aura as any other human would, and you have also spent six months of uninterrupted time around Dementors_ ", the Dementor replied. " _Maybe it is nothing, but Lady Drexis should be capable of telling whether or not that is the case._ " Just as Morgana was done explaining, Lady Drexis appeared, her significantly larger stature giving away her identity in a second.

" _Hello and what is up_ ", Drexis greeted with a chuckle, as she tried to mimic what she thought was a modern person.

" _Now is not the time, Lady Drexis_ ", Morgan stated urgently, which caused Drexis to instantly sober up and drop her playful tone.

" _What is the issue_ ", the Elder asked with a serious tone.

" _Naruto was capable of detecting human happiness, and I am wondering if she is showing traits of being a Dementor_ ", Morgana explained sternly. " _You have the most experience detecting Dementors, and as such – I would like you to try to find out if you could find anything_."

" _She can feel human happiness? Are you sure_ ", Lady Drexis asked with an equally stern and surprised tone. After Morgana nodded, Drexis turned towards Naruto. Then, without a word, Lady Drexis raised her open palm towards Naruto, and a black miasma appeared around her hand. Naruto remembered back to the first day she appeared to Azkaban, and how Drexis was capable of analysing one's soul on a whole other level in comparison to most Dementors.

After a few moments, Drexis stopped her diagnostic magic, and started backing away a bit in surprise. If her eyes had been visible, they may have been threatening to fall out of her eye sockets from her genuine shock.

" _Remarkable_ ", the Elder whispered to herself, though both Naruto and Morgana could hear her clearly.

"What is the matter, Lady Drexis", Naruto asked. "Am I turning into a Dementor?"

" _Well, yes and no_ ", Drexis replied, earning confused looks from Naruto and Morgana. " _You are still a human for now. However, you are also evolving, and gaining the ability to TURN into a Dementor._ "

"Wait, what do you mean? Like a werewolf", Naruto asked, her tone full of surprise and confusion. Morgana was just too stunned to even say anything.

" _In a sense, yes_ ", Lady Drexis started describing. " _From what I can tell, you are turning into a Dementor, and will gain the form of a Dementor. However, I can also see that you are still retaining control over your powers, which means that you can adopt a Dementor form, but also a human form. With time, you will cease to be human, but you will be able to take the form of a human, while also being capable of channelling your powers, unlike a Dementor._ "

" _How… how can this be"_ , Morgana managed to ask, despite her shocked state.

" _Honestly, I don't know. But I can speculate that it might have something to do with her being around us, and that her connection to True Magic is absorbing the latent magic we exude_ ", Drexis mused out loud. " _Though, it honestly doesn't matter._ " She turned to Naruto.

"What matters is the fact that I am adopting traits of a Dementor, and I need to learn how to", Naruto stated with clarity in her voice. "I honestly don't care if I am human or not. Species has no relevance if you are a decent being or not. Please, teach me to harness these powers as well." At Naruto's request, Lady Drexis chuckled.

" _It seems that we have to rearrange our current curriculum again…_ "

 **-Back in Konoha, Root Headquarters-**

"Are you sure", Danzo asked his trusted Root-nin, who was kneeling down on the floor in front of Danzo.

"Yes, Danzo-sama", the Root-nin replied. "We are positive."

"Okay, dismissed", Danzo ordered firmly, making the Root-nin bow deeply before he left. Danzo reviewed the report he had just gained from his trusted subordinate. After six months since the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki's disappearance; the Anbu that Hiruzen had sent to spy on him had finally started to back off, thus giving him some more room to work with, at least somewhat. This in turn would give him the opportunity to execute his plan that would hopefully get the Jinchuuriki back.

As he had suspected, the surveillance team had been rather diligent in their proceedings. It was certainly tedious to say the least, having to keep all of his activities under such a close watch. However, it wasn't all a bad thing. During these months; he managed to train his troops and improve upon their already impressive skills. He improved their training, emotional conditioning, and further increased the Anbu-level training he had given his Root members. In some ways, these six months of being forced to stay within the shadows more than usual had been a blessing in disguise. They had enabled Danzo the opportunity to notice some flaws within his forces, and as such Danzo managed to make them stronger and more efficient. It also gave him an opportunity to work on some of his pre-emptive plans for when he became Hokage, as he was getting ready for the moment to rise above all others.

Danzo Shimura looked at the flickering flame lighting up the candle on top of his desk. Thinking about those plans for his ascension made him reminisce upon the day when Tobirama Senju made Hiruzen the Third Hokage. He remembered that day very well.

It was during the First Shinobi War, and he was together with his own teammates and Hiruzen's team alongside the Nindaime Hokage himself. They were surrounded by the Kinkaku Force, which consisted of some of the strongest Shinobi that Kumo had to offer. They knew that not all of them could get out of the situation alive, and someone had to sacrifice their life.

Danzo himself had hoped to be the one to offer his life, but his own fear of death had caused him to freeze up and become unable to offer his final sacrifice. Instead, Hiruzen had been the one to offer his own life for the group, much to the bitterness of the Shimura. However, in the end; the Second Hokage himself chose to sacrifice his life for the group. Before he did this; he made Hiruzen his successor, to pass on the Will of Fire.

The Will of Fire… what a joke… Danzo snorted to himself. Deep down, not even Danzo himself knew what the true reason for his resentment for the philosophy was. Whether it was that his rival Hiruzen was chosen to be Hokage, or if it was a misanthropic pessimism that Danzo possessed, or even his born elemental affinity to wind; one thing was clear. Danzo had no faith in the so called "Will of Fire".

At his core, Danzo saw himself as a patriot, but a realistic one. He knew what kind of world this really was, and he felt that the Uchiha were on the right track. This is a cold, cruel world where the strong would step on the weak, and where might equals right. Though, while the Uchihas were arrogant in their belief; Danzo liked to believe that he was above such conceit. He saw himself as a clever and strategic player in the game that people would call life, and knew that he had to use his keen intellect in combination with his strength and wisdom in order to come out of top in every situation. Regardless if the battlefield was the Council Floor or the blood-stained grass of Fire Country – Danzo was ready. Philosophies such as the Will of Fire had no room in the real world.

Danzo often wondered how things would have turned out if he had not let his own fear get the better of himself. Would he have been the one to be picked as Hokage instead of Hiruzen? Perhaps that moment of weakness was for the better, as it allowed him a moment to realise the weakness of emotions. He had allowed emotions to get the better of him, and it made him a weaker Shinobi. Though at times, he wondered if Tobirama would have picked Danzo, even if he had been willing to sacrifice his life. He may still have picked Hiruzen over Danzo, as he probably saw more of this Will of Fire in his blasted rival. Danzo had been seething since then.

The Will of Fire was a foolish ideology, based on friendship and family. It wasn't love and mercy that drove this world; it was power and ruthlessness. Danzo would prove this to the Hiruzen and that Second Hokage. He would gain the Kyuubi brat, have the boy undergo emotional conditioning, become Danzo's slave, and then prove how fruitless this "Will of Fire" really when compared to Danzo's "Obedience of Shadow"! Then he would stand above them all, and prove as the next Hokage what it really meant to rule over the weak!

Danzo shook his head. He had let himself get carried away. For now, he had to focus upon getting the Jinchuuriki back from The Prison. First, Danzo would wait a little longer, and make the final preparations for his plan to get the brat back, while also ensuring that Hiruzen's lapdogs were off his back. Then he would prove to Hiruzen that he was the better one.

 **-Azkaban, Two Months Later-**

The wind was heard in Naruto's ear, as she dodged several attacks from her clones. They were currently training her Taijutsu skills, or more specifically her skills at handling several opponents at once. She had summoned twenty Shadow Clones that were reinforced thanks to Kyuubi's chakra, and could as such survive more than one hit, and now Naruto had to fight against all of them at once. However, to make it even more challenging; she was also forced to wear heavy weights while fighting against the clones, who were not wearing any weights themselves. Not only that, but she also had to dodge or block the occasional swipe from a Dementor's claws. Case in point; all of this was designed to work against Naruto and force her to push her to her limits and beyond.

During the past two months, Naruto had really been pushing herself. Not just in terms of Taijutsu or any other training, but even more so regarding her studies of her developing Dementor abilities. Ever since Lady Drexis had confirmed that Naruto was indeed becoming capable of utilising the techniques of a Dementor; her training had adapted so that she could train on them as much as possible. While everyone was excited to train Naruto to begin with; they exploded when her developing Dementor side was discovered, especially the Concilium Desperatio.

Every Dementor was fascinated by this discovery, and wished to see her grow even more. It was flattering to the girl, as they wished to include her even more than before. Of course, they had been very pleasant to her from day one, and were at most unsure of how to deal with the situation. But she had never had to deal with any malice or disdain from any Dementor at all. They were very welcoming her into their colony, so her developing Dementor abilities was more so her becoming an official and perhaps even more integral part of their community. It made Naruto feel incredibly honoured and happy, not to mention excited to learn to control her Dementor powers.

However, with that said, learning how to use these Dementor abilities had to be the most difficult thing she had ever done so far. They had not skipped out on her Witchcraft training, which she was still doing great in, but considering what a prodigy she was in everything else she did; it was slightly surprising to see her struggling with these abilities. Nevertheless, she and the others understood why this was so difficult. While she had a strong connection to True Magic; it didn't change the fact that she was still trying to utilise an ability that is, for all intents and purposes, not strictly available to her species. Fortunately, over the past two months, she had made some decent progress on the one ability she was capable of performing at the moment; the Dementor's ability to feed on human emotions.

The ability to absorb human emotions, which was the very way a Dementor fed and nourished itself, was one of the most difficult things she had ever had to do. One may think that this technique was difficult because Naruto had to utilise a power she had never used in her life, but that was just the tip of the ice berg. The difficult part came in when she had to utilise the technique itself. In order for her to be able to absorb a human emotion; she had to be able to CONNECT with that human emotion.

As she had discovered two months ago; Naruto was capable of sensing and detecting human happiness. She would like to say that was step one, but that was more so the prerequisite to step one. In order to absorb that happiness, Naruto had to be able to connect her very psyche and being to this happiness.

In order to do this, she would have to find the emotional wavelengths that were a result of pheromones, spiritual aura, and several other factors, before tying them together and making herself and the human in question to become bonded through them. Kyuubi had been very intrigued at this process, and had even commented how this sounded similarly to what the Sage of Six Paths had tried to aspire with Ninshuu. Unfortunately, when Naruto tried to learn more about the topic, Kyuubi had only shrugged his shoulders, and dropped the conversation.

However, while difficult: this was only step one in order to perform said ability. The second stage was in some ways even worse. This stage involved having Naruto essentially consuming the emotion. That may sound simple, but when factoring in that she had to stay concentrated on keeping the factors that were keeping up her connection to said happiness activated; while also physically forcing those emotions out of the person's body in order for her to consume them: and it suddenly became a lot more challenging.

It had taken a lot of work and training, but in the end she had managed to absorb human emotions. This in turn had been a… fascinating experience to say the least. After a lot of work over several days, she had finally managed to enter a specific mode that was the closest she could get to being a Dementor. However, it was still a mere imitation of a Dementor, and as such; she had alongside Lady Drexis labelled this state as her "False Dementor Form". The reason for this was because Naruto had accessed abilities of a Dementor, but had yet to become one fully. She could only become one with time and training, as her being able to become a Dementor lied within her capability of using Dementor powers, but more so within connection to True Magic.

Training how to feed on human happiness and emotions was the first step. While it had been a challenge of entering her False Dementor Form, it was even more difficult for her to keep it steady. The reason for this was very simple; she was essentially entering into a state of being that wasn't her own. In a sense, it was kind of like asking a housefly to become a leech: it wasn't just in her biological structure. If it wasn't for her connection to True Magic and the fact that she was developing these abilities, Naruto would have never been capable of adopting the False Dementor Form for even one second. Regardless, with enough work over the past couple of months; she had managed to lengthen her concentration and ability to remain in her False Dementor Form significantly, and the time limit that was previously only a few seconds long had now been extended to several minutes.

Unfortunately, there wasn't much else to do. Through some investigation, Lady Drexis found out that while Naruto had the ability to absorb human emotions, which was one of the signature elements behind a Dementor; that was pretty much all there was. Naruto did not possess anything else that defined Dementor physiology, such as their invulnerability to physical as well as most magical attacks, their razor-sharp claws, their ability to fly – not even their signature cloaks. This was also the reason they had collectively dubbed Naruto's first form as False, because it was only an approximation of a Dementor. If she ever gained the other abilities of a Dementor was unknown, and only the future would tell.

As such, the only thing that Naruto had been practicing to enter her False Dementor Form, to keep it up for as long as possible, and to be able to absorb emotions. However, there was also another technique that she had been practicing over the months. One that she had no success with so far: the Dementor's Kiss, the deadliest technique a Dementor possessed.

While Naruto couldn't do much else beyond feeding on human happiness; the Dementors teaching her theorised that Naruto should also be capable of performing the Dementor's Kiss. The reason for this was because a being's emotions and their soul are closely intertwined. Sadly, Naruto had not been capable of absorbing a human soul as of yet, and had made little progress. Though, she hoped that she would get close enough to it soon.

Overall, Naruto had made some decent progress, and hopefully she would be capable of absorbing a soul soon enough. She would go through another Dementor session after this current Taijutsu lesson. Speaking of which, Naruto was forced to swiftly dodge and block a synchronised attack from five Shadow Clones, before she also dodged Apraxia's claws when she swiped at Naruto.

While Naruto was fighting and training, Morgana was watching over the fighting alongside Leoni. They were very impressed and interested in seeing where this girl's training would take her. Naruto had proven that she was especially talented at anything she was forced to do. Taijutsu was amongst them, but it was also one of her current weak points. The reason for this was because while she had a very agile and dexterous form; she lacked the necessary strength to back it up. However, this was something that had to be corrected with time, and so far; they were impressed with the results. They had no doubt she would be a fearsome force by the end of these seven years.

At the moment, they were simply observing, and currently considering maybe calling it for the day, before taking a break as they prepared her upcoming Dementor training. However, as they were about to say something; they noticed something that made them briefly stop. For a short moment in the heat of battle, Naruto's eyes glowed slightly. It was nearly imperceptible and it was easy to miss, but they could tell a swift a red glow. Though it wasn't the red glow associated to the Kyuubi; it was something else. The Dementors looked to each other, and made a non-verbal agreement that they should end the session and discuss with Lady Drexis and the others regarding the potential meaning behind those eyes.

" _Well done, I think we should call that a day_ ", stated Leoni as she floated over towards Naruto. She was the one who was in charge of the Taijutsu sessions, alongside Kyuubi and Morgana.

" _Indeed_ ", stated Morgana. " _You have done an exemplary job today Naruto-kun, but you shouldn't push yourself to hard. We will continue this training tomorrow._ "

" _Take about half an hour to, and then we will go to your Dementor training_ ", Leoni continued and floated off to gather the test subjects for her Dementor training, while Morgana floated over to Naruto.

During these two months Naruto had also learned some other things about the Dementors themselves, more specifically about their physiology and genders. As it turned out, while every Dementor spoke with a feminine voice and could be mistaken for women: they were in fact genderless. They only preferred to use the feminine reflexive pronoun when referring to themselves. Dementors actually did not possess any way of breeding and as such, no Dementors were ever born, they were created. However, they had yet to tell Naruto exactly how they were created, but they promised they would get to it when she had become more in touch with her Dementor powers.

Back to the present, Naruto made the specific hand seal, and dispelled her all of her Shadow Clones at once. If this had been back when she first learned the **Shadow Clone Technique** ; dispelling twenty clones at once would have given her a horrible headache. Thankfully the resistance she had gained over time helped a lot with this problem. After dispelling her clones, Naruto sat down on the grassy floor and picked up a nearby water bottle. As she gulped down the refreshing liquid; Naruto was mentally processing all the information she had gained from her Shadow Clones, looking for anything that she could improve. The ability to gather information had been incredibly useful, and while she couldn't gain physical strength through a Shadow Clone; she could gain their memories and thoughts. Thus, she could see her form and technique from several angels, and get an overarching perspective of her fighting style.

After she had processed her thoughts, Naruto sat and talked with Morgana while they waited for the half hour to be over. However, their conversation was interrupted by not only Leoni, but also an angered Opaque, who was carrying a bleeding and unconscious man. The anger in itself was quite a surprise. Opaque was generally a rather gentle Dementor. Sure, she could get annoyed and slightly competitive when it came to her passion of flying, but generally she was a very mild-mannered individual. So to see her aura containing that level of undiluted rage was surprising to both Morgana and Naruto.

" _What is the matter, Opaque_ ", Morgana asked the angered Dementor, who proceeded to throw the dazed man on the ground in front of Naruto and Morgana.

" _I am angry, because of this man and his intentions_ ", Opaque replied with an ice cold tone to her voice. Naruto looked down at the man, and noticed that the man on the ground was bleeding from many parts of his body, but also took notice of the black hair and the Konoha forehead protector.

" _What has this human done to earn your ire, Opaque dear_ ", spoke the grandmotherly voice of Lady Drexis, who was approaching the scene, alongside several other Dementors who had been in the local area. They had all been surprised at Opaque's angry demeanour and had decided to approach the vexed Dementor to figure out what was causing her so much rage.

" _Well, I was just doing my shift in the prison, and nothing had been happening for a while_ ", Opaque started explaining. " _Then suddenly, only a few minutes ago: this man came with about eight other Shinobis. The other Dementors and I swiftly dealt with them, and when I absorbed the souls of one of the Shinobi, I became filled with rage when I learned their intentions._ " Opaque turned towards the bleeding Shinobi in rage.

" _This man in front of us is named Isao Uchiha, a member of the Uchiha Clan of Konoha, and a Root-Nin under Danzo's command alongside the other eight Shinobis that came with him. They were all sent here to kidnap Naruto. Danzo had sent this Uchiha specifically in hopes of using the_ _ **Sharingan**_ _against all of us, but more so against Naruto to turn her into a mindless slave._

 _After I learned this, I was filled with so much rage that I attacked him, before I brought his dazed and injured body to you so that we could all make him suffer for this travesty._ "

As Opaque described the situation in question; every Dementor around her started to share Opaque's anger at the Shinobi on the ground. During the eight months that they had been training Naruto; she had become a part of their colony. She represented something good for the Dementors, so to hear that this human was under order to enslave their beloved comrade was enough to make even the more level-headed Dementors flare up in rage. Naruto was also getting angry, as she looked down upon the man on the ground. This man was essentially threatening the people she considered to be her family, and Naruto had very little tolerance towards any threat against the Dementors.

While looking at him, Naruto couldn't help but think of the Uchiha Clan and the clans of Konoha in general. There was not a single clan in Konoha, except for a few such as the Sarutobi Clan, who did not have at least one member that had attacked Naruto in the past. The Inuzuka and their mauling dogs, the Akimichi and their squeezing fists, the Yamanaka and their poisons; most of the clans had members that would come after her. The clans were not filled with just bad people of course, but they certainly had many members that were guilty of crimes against her. And of course, the Uchiha Clan was no exception.

Naruto was very familiar with the Uchiha Clan, and their **Sharingan** , and not in a good way. She had heard that the clan leader, Fugaku, was a very militant man who seemed to hold some form of resentment against Naruto. It was obviously because of the Kyuubi, but she was very uncertain as to the reason why exactly. From what she had heard; the Uchiha Clan lost a small amount of members during the Kyuubi Incident. Regardless, it had led to most of the Uchiha Clan members being openly hostile against her. Most of the Clan Heads didn't acquaint themselves with Naruto, but she had learned that they openly disagreed with the actions some of their clan members had taken against Naruto. Fugaku Uchiha seemed to have no such restrictions. As such, Naruto never felt safe around an Uchiha, with a few exceptions in mind. This man in front of her, this Isao Uchiha, was not one of those exceptions.

She stared at his black hair, and his blood-covered body. Opaque must have really torn into him judging by the claw marks. It was clear that the Uchiha was not going to get up any time soon. Naruto was not surprised, and figured that Opaque wanted to keep him alive and spread the word to other Dementors, so they could deliver even worse pain upon his person. However, at this point, Naruto couldn't help but be worried as a thought hit her like a sledgehammer.

"Opaque", Naruto's voice gained the attention of the other Dementor in question, alongside the other Dementors. Everyone had gathered near the human, and was proceeding to suck emotions slowly and painfully out of him, while also tearing up his body up with their razor-sharp claws.

" _Yes, Naruto_ ", Opaque replied, still angry over what the Uchiha planned to do to a girl she had begun considering a sister and member of their great colony.

"Why did you bring him here", the girl asked.

" _As I told you, I brought him here so that we could all make him suffer_ ", Opaque replied, earning nods of agreement from Dementors around her.

"Yeah, I got that, but why here specifically, and not the main dungeon", Naruto asked.

" _Well, I…_ ", Opaque started, but stopped and got confused over her actions.

"You could have brought him along the other Root Soldiers, and then informed all of us of this man's intention. Instead you bring him here", Naruto stated as she got tenser by the second. "And furthermore, you seem unsure as to why you did it."

The other Dementors started finding themselves questioning the situation, but before they could say anything; they were too late to react as the Uchiha's fingers swiftly went through a set of hand seals. Upon noticing, Morgana acted on instinct, and cut the man's throat up, intending to end his life before anything else could happen.

However, despite the blood rushing out of his throat; Isao Uchiha disappeared in front of their eyes as if he never existed, and then reappeared just behind Naruto. Isao Uchiha reached out to grab Naruto, and if it wasn't for her swift reflexes; she would have gotten captured by the Uchiha in question. She dodged his attempt to grab her, before preparing herself for the next attack, while holding a kunai in front of her. As she looked at the man in front of her, she took notice of three things.

The first one was Isao Uchiha's body, and the blood that covered it, or rather the absence of it. She had clearly seen Isao have his throat cut open by Morgana, and somehow his throat was healed, and did not have a single speck of blood on it. The same could be said for the rest of his body. The injuries that Opaque and the other Dementors had given were clearly missing.

Additionally, this led her to the second peculiar thing: his eyes. One of them had the three tomoes of the **Sharingan** staring back at Naruto, while the other was completely white. However, it wasn't white as the **Byakugan**. It didn't give off the feeling of a **Byakugan** or even possess the veins connected to it, but rather the eye was white and gave off a dead feeling. It was clear that this man most likely only had eyesight in one eye. Naruto severely doubted this Danzo would send a man with only one **Sharingan** eye at his disposal, meaning he lost his eyesight here.

Finally, the third noticeable element that Naruto noticed was the pendant around the Uchiha's neck. It may have been eight months, but she instantly recognised the very same Copper Pendant that sent her here in the first place. This was when Naruto figured out his plan. The Uchiha in front of her was clearly intending to capture Naruto, and then wait for his master to summon him, so that Danzo could program her into becoming his little plaything.

Before she could give more thought into it, the Uchiha attacked Naruto; trying to use his tanto to incapacitate her. Naruto knew that she wasn't as physically strong as the Root-nin in front of her. However, she wasn't going to let that stop her. She would not let some warmongering bastard take away the happiness and relationships she had built with these Dementors. She could feel the arrogance and greed dripping from this man's soul, but could also detect several other emotions. This was when she got an idea in her mind.

As the Uchiha attacked again, she dodged his swipe, and performed the signature hand seal for her technique.

 **"** **Shadow Clone Technique"** , she shouted, as smoke surrounded her and five appeared out of it around Naruto. The Uchiha was surprised at the sight, but then shrugged of the shock. He then grinned and snorted at her.

"Good attempt, Jinchuuriki, but you shall not win through such cheap techniques", he shouted in arrogance. The five clones charged at him, but the Uchiha made quick work out of them, before he rushed forward and grabbed on to Naruto. "Now it's time for you to become an obedient pet like you are supposed to be." However, as he held on to the girl, Naruto grabbed on to him as well. It was then he saw the victorious smirk on her face. Before he could react, he heard the girl shout her next technique:

 **"** **Shadow Clone Explosion Jutsu"** , the real Naruto shouted, as the Shadow Clone that was holding on to the Uchiha glowed, before it exploded. Isao Uchiha flew away from the smoking cloud, injured by the explosion. Before he could gain his bearings however, he heard her voice again.

"I am not done yet!" Naruto waved her hand before pointing it towards him. **"Wingardium Leviosa!"** The Levitation Charm struck instantly, and the Uchiha was helpless when he felt himself floating in mid-air. He couldn't do anything, and his shock was the thing that cost him the most.

Because as he was about to use the Hand Seals for a **Shunshin** , Naruto pointed her other hand towards him with a swift motion, and shouted again:

 **"** **Stupefy"** , she shouted, and with a swift light; the Stunning Spell struck true at its target, rendering the Uchiha completely paralysed.

 _'_ _What is this'_ , he wondered to himself. _'First, I was being kept in the air, and now I am unable to move. Is this a Genjutsu?'_ As the Uchiha was pondering as to what could have possibly happened: he was dropped unceremoniously on the ground. While he couldn't move, he could still feel the pain. Naruto walked towards the Uchiha with an angry expression.

"You shouldn't have threatened my family", she stated. The surprised eyes turned towards Naruto, while the rest of his face remained motionless, with only his mouth slightly open. "I was probably not going to bother with you, but now you have threatened the people I care for. As such, I will give you a fate far worse than death." Naruto wasn't sure exactly what she was doing, but she just acted on instinct. She allowed a connection to be formed between her and the emotions of the man in front of her.

"Allow me to show you, as to why Deme _ntors are considered the darkest of beings_ ", Naruto's voice turned cold and emotionless at the end, but that is not the only thing that happened. Her face became gaunt, almost skeletal and incredibly pale, and her eyes became like two blocks of soul-piercing ice.

 _'_ _What is going on? What is she doing'_ , the Uchiha thought, as a sense of absolute fear enveloped him. The other creatures had been bad enough, but when the Jinchuuriki's feature changed; it was like a never-ending sense of danger and despair infiltrated his senses. It wasn't as potent as the other creatures, but it was still strong.

Naruto didn't say anything after she had entered her False Dementor Form. Instead, she simply bent down towards him, and a guttural noise came from her open mouth. The Uchiha felt like his very being was being pulled out him, and it was an incredibly painful sensation. However, it got worse, as Naruto bent down and attached her pallid lips to his. In that moment, it felt like his very being was sucked out of one orifice. He screamed in absolute agony, as this pain was unlike any other. However, before he could even consider finding a way out of this: it was all over, and he felt himself disappear.

Naruto attached her lips to the Uchiha's and managed, despite her earlier failures, to perform the Dementor's Kiss. When thinking back to this moment, she would realise that the rage of how this man threatened her colony was the thing that pushed her to get the technique right. However, at the moment she couldn't think remotely about it. Instead, she was more focused on the feeling she got from absorbing the soul.

The feeling of consuming human happiness had been an interesting one. It could be comparable to a nice glass of water on a really hot day in how satisfying it was. Alongside that, it nourished Naruto on a strangely psychological level while also feeding on the physical level.

However, no matter how tasty and nourishing it was; it had nothing to consuming a soul. The sensation she felt after consuming the human soul was indescribable. It was probably the most euphoric feeling that Naruto had ever experienced, to the point it was almost otherworldly and uncomfortable.

In one moment, it was like all of the information and knowledge that this one man possessed came rushing to her brain at once. Simultaneously, it felt like all of his happiness and memories was absorbed into her at once, causing her to feel an immense joy; almost like an infinite void she never knew existed within her was being filled up.

" _Naruto_ ", a voice shouted at the girl. This managed to snap Naruto out of her euphoric state, and she looked at who shouted at her, and saw Morgana and Opaque floating towards her with concern and awe coating their auras.

" _You just managed to perform the Dementor's Kiss_ ", Morgana stated in complete surprise.

"Yeah… I did… and it was… quite overwhelming", Naruto responded while breathing heavily.

" _I imagine that would be the case_ ", said the soft, elderly voice of Lady Drexis. " _I do apologise you had to deal with that man on your own. When we realised he was already next to you, and were about to attack him on our own; you had already disposed of him._ "

"Don't worry about it", Naruto stated. "Trust me: the Uchiha Clan has plenty of tricks that can easily allow someone to fall under their charm. The **Sharingan** is not something you want to play with. However, I suspected that he had a different agenda from the other Root-nin, and I was right."

" _What do you mean, Naruto_ ", Opaque asked.

"Danzo had approached this man in private, away from the other Root-nin that went with him. The Uchiha was instructed to make sure that his **Sharingan** affected you guys. Opaque was put under not just a Genjutsu that amplifies emotions, but another one within the first one, which was designed to urge you to bring him to where I was. It was a way for him to get closer to me", Naruto explained, amazed that she knew all of it. Meanwhile, Opaque herself was looking down at the floor.

" _I am so sorry for my failure, Naruto. I put you at risk by doing this._ " It was clear from her voice that Opaque was distraught. She had almost let someone kidnap a girl she considered to be her sister. She stopped her lamenting when Naruto embraced the Dementor, giving her a reassuring hug.

"It's okay, Opaque. This just proves that even Dementors can fall victims to Genjutsu. Perhaps this is only isolated to the **Sharingan** , but we should remain careful regardless", the girl stated to her dear friend.

" _But what about when he disappeared_ ", Leoni asked. " _How was that possible?_ "

"From what I can tell, it was because of a forbidden Uchiha technique called **Izanagi** , which is essentially a Genjutsu that allows the user to rewrite reality, but at the cost of one of his eyes", Naruto explained to her Dementors. "He had not planned to use it, but Opaque and the others gave him too many injuries for his mission to be a success if he hadn't done it." The others nodded, as they looked in contemplation at the now deceased Uchiha. After a few moments of silence; Morgana decided to speak her mind.

" _Well, we will just have to be more cautious of_ _ **Sharingan**_ _users from now on. Personally, I'm just glad that you are alright Naruto-kun_ ", Morgana stated as she gently rubbed Naruto's shoulder. " _For a moment, I was afraid that you were going to be teleported away from here. I honestly panicked when he disappeared into thin air right after I had slit his throat._ "

"Leave you behind, Morgana? Who would annoy you then", Naruto mocked while gently punching the Dementor in the side. Morgana chuckled, and playfully shoved Naruto's shoulder.

" _I think you are overlooking the most important aspect of this all though_ ", Lady Drexis interrupted the friendly banter, drawing confused and slightly concerned expressions from everyone. " _Naruto managed to perform the Dementor's Kiss. I cannot stress it enough, but you have managed to take an enormous step towards embracing your Dementor side. But I am curious how you managed to pull it off, considering that you had such a difficult time before?_ "

"I don't know, I was just so mad at this guy for trying to go after you. To abuse and try to take away you guys. I couldn't allow that to happen to you", Naruto answered sternly and without a single iota of hesitation. Her passion made the Dementors light up.

This human girl that should be running away from them embraced their kind like they were family. In many aspects, they truly were her family, but to hear that being confirmed was filling the spectral beings with a sense of joy they had not felt for a long time.

" _Your words warm us, Naruto Uzumaki_ ", Lady Drexis stated strongly. " _And we are honoured to house you amongst us. I think we can all agree firmly that the decision to apprentice you was the right one._ " At her words, Naruto felt an indescribably joy spread through her entire being. She was being fully accepted by the colony on a whole other level than before. Before, it was mostly unsaid, but to hear it officially was just that more powerful.

"Thank you Lady Drexis", Naruto responded with a grateful bow.

" _It is my pleasure, my dear. Now, let's continue with our training. You've performed a huge step in your training, and I for one am excited to keep this ball rolling_ ", Lady Drexis exclaimed with an excited voice, briefly sounding like an excited child in a candy store. Naruto, alongside the other Dementors couldn't help but share her enthusiasm. In their enthusiasm to see where this would lead them: none of them noticed when Isao Uchiha's body vanished into thin air.

 **-Meanwhile, with Danzo-**

Danzo sneered at the body of in front of him. It seemed the plan had failed. Deep down, he had known that it was something of a long shot, but he had still hoped to get the Jinchuuriki through this plan. He had instructed Isao Uchiha to use his **Sharingan** in order to throw the most subtle of Genjutus possible in order to get the creatures of the Prison to transport him to the Jinchuuriki's location. Then he would hopefully be able to catch the Jinchuuriki just long enough for the two of them to be transported back to the Root Headquarters. Sadly, that plan had failed.

However, Danzo couldn't help but feel like this plan also provided two good things. The first one was the fact that he felt he got a slight clue regarding why these creatures took the boy. They had removed the pendant from the boy, and put it on Tatsume Aburame when they tried to capture the Jinchuuriki. However, they didn't do it this time. Despite Isao having the **Sharingan** , which would be a good incentive to keep the body, or at least the eyes; the creatures had not even bothered to switch the pendants or take the eyes. This seemed to give more proof to his theory that these creatures reacted to the Jinchuuriki for a very specific reason, but did not necessarily give him the reason why.

As for the second good thing that came from this situation; it came in the form of Isao Uchiha, or more specifically: his single operating **Sharingan** eye. He saw that one of the eyes were completely white, meaning that he had most likely used one of the forbidden techniques from the Uchiha Clan that allowed them to rewrite reality itself, and cheat even death. Such a technique could have many positives…

"Bring Isao into the operating room. We've got work to do", Danzo commanded his Root soldiers, who were swift to follow his orders. They carried the body away, as Danzo followed behind them. While he may be unable to get the Jinchuuriki; he could get something else that he had been salivating after for some time now: a grab for some truly splendid power.

 _ **-To Be Continued-**_

 _ **I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Please review and tell me what you thought. I am off to continue my writing, and you should see the first chapter of the Naruto + Gravity Falls story soon.**_

 _ **See you in the chapter!**_

 _ **~Prof. Majora**_


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